House releases texts of health insurance mandate delays

They also argue that the decision shows that President Obama is undermining Congress’s authority by selectively implementing the laws it passes.

{mosads}”The White House may believe it can unilaterally delay implementation of ObamaCare’s employer mandate, but only Congress can change the law,” said Rep. Tim Griffin (R-Ark.), who sponsored H.R. 2667, the Authority for Mandate Delay Act. “My bill delays its implementation, saving jobs and protecting workers.”

The Fairness for American Families Act, H.R. 2668, would allow for the same delay that individuals face under ObamaCare to buy insurance or face a fine. That bill is sponsored by Rep. Todd Young (R-Ind.), who said people need the same delay in enforcement that companies are getting.

“Rather than driving healthcare costs down, the individual mandate is imposing a new tax and burdensome costs on middle class families,” Young said Thursday. “This is unacceptable, and hardworking Americans deserve the same exemptions that President Obama is unilaterally granting to businesses and labor unions.”

On Thursday, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said Congress needs to formally approve a delay in both the employer insurance mandate, and said Obama’s delay of just the company mandate unfairly ignores the hurdles facing ordinary Americans.

“[T]he administration declared last week that they would delay the enforcement of the mandate on businesses for a year, but not the mandate on working families and individuals,” Cantor said. “We will respond next week to correct this injustice.”