Not long after the health care reform bill was passed by the House on Sunday night, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) released a statement calling the bill an "unconstitutional," irreparably broken "power grab" that "must be repealed."
In his statement, he laid out plans to introduce legislation designed to do exactly that. Full text of the statement, as well as the amendment to repeal the bill below:
"This bill is unconstitutional and it cannot be fixed. It must be repealed," said Senator DeMint. "The battle for health care freedom is not over and I will introduce legislation this week to repeal this health takeover."Unless this trillion-dollar assault on our freedoms is repealed, it will force Americans to purchase Washington-approved health plans or face stiff penalties. It will fund abortions, raise taxes and insurance premiums, while reducing health care choices and quality."
"This arrogant power grab proves that the President and his party care more about government control than the will of the American people. Americans told Washington to keep its hands off their health care in opinion polls, at public protests, and at the ballot box, but their pleas were ignored.
"If the President and Democrats were serious about true health care reform, there were many free-market solutions we could have easily passed. Americans support commonsense reforms such as purchasing coverage across state lines, stopping frivolous medical lawsuits, and giving the same tax breaks to Americans who don't get their insurance at work. Unfortunately, Democrats refused to listen."
And here's the text of DeMint's legislation to repeal the health care reform bill:
To repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. REPEAL.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and the amendments made by that Act, are repealed.