S.Amdt. 2700
What it does: Adds SEC. 6. SENSE OF THE SENATE after section 5
Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-VT)What it changes
1 change to H.R. 3548 · shown in the bill's text
Adds SEC. 6. SENSE OF THE SENATE after section 5
Adds a sectionIn H.R. 3548 · Placed on Calendar Senate
Passed the House of Representatives September 22, 2009.
Inserted: SEC. 6. SENSE OF THE SENATE.
Inserted: (a) Findings.--The Senate finds as follows:
Inserted: (1) There has been concern expressed by some across our Nation, including on the Nation's airwaves, regarding whether Congress has the constitutional authority to legislate national health care reform.
Inserted: (2) Certain citizens, commentators, and public officials have questioned whether the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States precludes the Federal Government from providing related health care benefits to its people.
Inserted: (3) Numerous State legislative bodies have passed resolutions raising questions regarding the scope of the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and the constitutionality of certain Federal programs.
Inserted: (4) The Federal Government has a long and successful history of providing health care benefits to its citizens through Federal programs.
Inserted: (5) Among other Federal initiatives, in 1930, Congress established the Veterans Administration, an entity that provided Federal benefits, including Federal health care benefits, to veterans of the Armed Forces, and the Veterans Administration was later merged into the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Inserted: (6) In 1954, Congress established the Indian Health Service to provide medical and public health services to members of federally-recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Natives.
Inserted: (7) In 1956 and 1966, respectively, Congress passed the Dependents' Medical Care Act (70 Stat. 250) and the Military Medical Benefits Amendments of 1966 (Public Law 89-614; 80 Stat. 862) in order to expand coverage to military personnel and dependents, and these programs were later merged into the TRICARE program, which provides health benefits for military personnel, military retirees, and their dependents.
Inserted: (8) In 1965, the United States established the Medicare program to provide Federal health care benefits to United States citizens over the age of 65.
Inserted: (9) In 1965, the United States established the Medicaid program to provide Federal health care benefits to individuals at, near, or below the Federal poverty line.
Inserted: (10) In 1997, the United States established the State Children's Health Insurance Program to provide health insurance to certain children in families above the Federal poverty line.
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Inserted: (11) In 2009, the United States expanded the State Children's Health Insurance Program to cover an additional 4,000,000 children.
Inserted: (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate that the following Federal benefit programs are in direct violation of the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and should be terminated as soon as practicable: the Veterans Health Administration benefit programs, the Indian Health Service, TRICARE, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program.
Original wording
Insert after section 5 the following:
Read automatically from the Congressional Record. Check the original before relying on it.
As printed
SA 2700. Mr. SANDERS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3548, to amend the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to provide for the temporary availability of certain additional emergency unemployment compensation, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
Insert after section 5 the following:
SEC. 6. SENSE OF THE SENATE.
(a) Findings.--The Senate finds as follows:
(1) There has been concern expressed by some across our Nation, including on the Nation's airwaves, regarding whether Congress has the constitutional authority to legislate national health care reform.
(2) Certain citizens, commentators, and public officials have questioned whether the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States precludes the Federal Government from providing related health care benefits to its people.
(3) Numerous State legislative bodies have passed resolutions raising questions regarding the scope of the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and the constitutionality of certain Federal programs.
(4) The Federal Government has a long and successful history of providing health care benefits to its citizens through Federal programs.
(5) Among other Federal initiatives, in 1930, Congress established the Veterans Administration, an entity that provided Federal benefits, including Federal health care benefits, to veterans of the Armed Forces, and the Veterans Administration was later merged into the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(6) In 1954, Congress established the Indian Health Service to provide medical and public health services to members of federally-recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Natives.
(7) In 1956 and 1966, respectively, Congress passed the Dependents' Medical Care Act (70 Stat. 250) and the Military Medical Benefits Amendments of 1966 (Public Law 89-614; 80 Stat. 862) in order to expand coverage to military personnel and dependents, and these programs were later merged into the TRICARE program, which provides health benefits for military personnel, military retirees, and their dependents.
(8) In 1965, the United States established the Medicare program to provide Federal health care benefits to United States citizens over the age of 65.
(9) In 1965, the United States established the Medicaid program to provide Federal health care benefits to individuals at, near, or below the Federal poverty line.
(10) In 1997, the United States established the State Children's Health Insurance Program to provide health insurance to certain children in families above the Federal poverty line.
(11) In 2009, the United States expanded the State Children's Health Insurance Program to cover an additional 4,000,000 children.
(b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate that the following Federal benefit programs are in direct violation of the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and should be terminated as soon as practicable: the Veterans Health Administration benefit programs, the Indian Health Service, TRICARE, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program.
Legislative Activity
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Senate amendment submitted
October 26, 2009