Congress Puts Bill on President’s Desk to Repeal Obamacare, Defund Planned Parenthood

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today applauded the House of Representatives for passing the Restoring Americans’ Health Care Freedom Reconciliation Act (HR 3762), a bill to repeal Obamacare and limit federal funding for organizations that perform abortions, like Planned Parenthood. The Senate passed the bill on December 3 by a vote of 52-47. The bill now goes to President Obama for consideration to be signed into law.

“Congress has finally put a repeal of Obamacare and defund of Planned Parenthood on the President’s desk,” said Lankford. “Five years ago, President Obama made big promises to the American people. The President promised Americans that they could keep their health care plan, he promised lower health care costs, and he promised lower premiums and lower co-pays. Instead, Americans have experienced the opposite. In Oklahoma, many residents have lost their doctor and health plan, and their rates will increase by as much as 35 percent this year.”

To improve the health care system, Lankford has offered Health Care Compact legislation, in the House and in the Senate, to give states the option to join a pilot program that gives them the freedom to regulate health care within their borders. Lankford spoke about his legislation, Planned Parenthood and Obamacare last month during Senate floor debate of the Restoring Americans’ Health Care Freedom Reconciliation Act.

Lankford continued, “I realize that our nation remains divided on the issue of abortion, but surely we are not divided on the procurement and sale of human organs. Planned Parenthood’s harvesting operation is a callous disregard for human dignity, and we should stop providing taxpayer support for them. Funding for organizations that abort children or engage in the harvesting of body parts should be redirected to women’s health at community health centers.”

Lankford was the first Senator to speak on the Senate floor about Planned Parenthood’s harvesting operation, and he sponsored legislation (S.1881) to redirect taxpayer funding from Planned Parenthood to community health centers. That Senate vote on his bill fell five votes short of the 60 vote threshold, however, today’s Restoring Americans’ Health Care Freedom Reconciliation Act was passed through the budget reconciliation process, which has a 50-vote threshold.

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