S.Amdt. 2259

SA 2259. Mr. CRUZ (for himself and Mr. Vitter) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 22, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt employees with health coverage under TRICARE or the Veterans Administration from being taken into account for purposes of determining the employers to which the employer mandate applies under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __. HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH.

(a) In General.--Notwithstanding section 1312(d)(3)(D) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18032(d)(3)(D)), Members of Congress, the President, Vice President, and all other political appointees shall purchase health insurance coverage through a health exchange established under such Act and shall receive no Federal subsidy or contribution to the costs of such coverage that is not also otherwise available to individuals at a similar income level.

(b) Definitions.--In this section:

(1) Member of congress.--The term “Member of Congress” shall have the meaning given such term in section 1312(d)(3)(D)(ii)(I) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18032(d)(3)(D)(ii)(I)).

(2) Political appointee.--The term “political appointee” means any individual who--

(A) is employed in a position described under sections 5312 through 5316 of title 5, United States Code, (relating to the Executive Schedule);

(B) is a limited term appointee, limited emergency appointee, or noncareer appointee in the Senior Executive Service, as defined under paragraphs (5), (6), and (7), respectively, of section 3132(a) of title 5, United States Code;

(C) is employed in a position in the executive branch of the Government of a confidential or policy-determining character under schedule C of subpart C of part 213 of title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations; or

(D) is employed in or under the Executive Office of the President in a position that is excluded from the competitive service by reason of its confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character.