Floor Statements

Madam President, I wish to express my appreciation for the opportunity to welcome to the U.S. Senate Pastor Bill Ewing.

Pastor Bill Ewing started a ministry called Christian Life Ministries in the early 1980s in Rapid City, SD, along with his wife Nancy. It is a ministry that has impacted thousands of people across this country, my wife Kimberly and I being among those, and our family. We have benefited enormously from Pastor Ewing's spiritual mentorship, his always wise and godly council, and his example of faithfulness.

In addition to those in my State of South Dakota and across the country, the ministry has been involved through the years in ministering to people who have been through very difficult circumstances. They were there after 9/11 in New York and after Hurricane Katrina. There have been countless examples of things that happened not only here at home but also around the world--all the things that have gone on in the country of Haiti--Christian Life Ministries has been on the scene and has been very ably ministering to people who have been impacted by these horrific events.

Bill Ewing is a lifelong South Dakotan, although he did venture over to Wyoming to go to college, where he was a two-time All American baseball player and actually was in the California Angels farm system for a number of years before an injury ended his career, but that loss to the California Angels and Major League Baseball was an enormous win for people all over South Dakota and all across this country who have benefited from the work he and his team in Christian Life Ministries have done.

So it is my honor to be able to welcome Pastor Bill Ewing to the U.S. Senate. I thank Chaplain Black for his hospitality and generosity for allowing my friend and pastor, Bill Ewing, to be the visiting Chaplain here in the U.S. Senate.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, today I recognize Joseph Brannon, one of my Washington, DC, interns, for all of the hard work he has done for me and my staff at the Senate Republican Conference.

Joseph is a graduate of Stevens High School in Rapid City, SD. Currently, he is attending Auburn University in Auburn, AL, where he is majoring in sociology. Joseph is a dedicated worker who has been committed to getting the most out of his experience.

I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Joseph Brannon for all of the fine work he has done and wish him continued success in the years to come.

Mr. President, today I recognize Will Janklow, one of my Washington, DC, interns, for all of the hard work he has done for me and my staff at the Senate Republican Conference.

Will is a graduate of Northland Pines High School in Eagle River, WI. Currently, he is attending the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN, where he is majoring in mathematics. Will is a dedicated worker who has been committed to getting the most out of his experience.

I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Will Janklow for all of the fine work he has done and wish him continued success in the years to come.

Mr. President, today I recognize Drew Lingle, an intern in my Washington, DC, office for all of the hard work he has done for me, my staff, and the State of South Dakota.

Drew is a graduate of Century High School in Bismarck, ND. Currently, he is attending Minnesota State University Moorhead, where he is majoring in history. Drew is a dedicated worker who has been committed to getting the most out of his experience.

I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Drew Lingle for all of the fine work he has done and wish him continued success in the years to come.

Mr. President, today I recognize Elizabeth MacLachlan, a legal intern in my Washington, DC, office for all of the hard work she has done for me, my staff, and the State of South Dakota.

Elizabeth is a graduate of Brigham Young University in Provo, UT, having earned a degree in family life. Currently, she is pursuing a law degree at J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University. Elizabeth is a dedicated worker who has been committed to getting the most out of her experience.

I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Elizabeth MacLachlan for all of the fine work she has done and wish her continued success in the years to come.

Mr. President, today I recognize Nick Montieth, an intern in my Washington, DC, office for all of the hard work he has done for me, my staff, and the State of South Dakota.

Nick is a recent graduate of Black Hills State University in Spearfish, SD, having earned a degree in political science. After a gap year, he plans to attend the University of South Dakota School of Law. Nick is a dedicated worker who has been committed to getting the most out of his experience.

I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Nick Montieth for all of the fine work he has done and wish him continued success in the years to come.

Mr. President, today I recognize Scott Simons, an intern in my Washington, DC, office for all of the hard work he has done for me, my staff, and the State of South Dakota.

Scott is a graduate of Roosevelt High School in Sioux Falls, SD. Currently, he is attending South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD, where he is majoring in economics. Scott is a dedicated worker who has been committed to getting the most out of his experience.

I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Scott Simons for all of the fine work he has done and wish him continued success in the years to come.

Mr. President, as the leader has very ably pointed out, the Democratic obstruction when it comes to President Trump's nominees is reaching an unprecedented level if you compare it to any past administration. He pointed out the number of nominees President Obama was able to get in and the way in which Republicans here in the Senate cooperated with him on his nominees. This state of affairs here in the Senate really is taking the obstructionism when it comes to trying to block even getting people into the administration, into their positions, to an entirely new level.

Frankly, about the only thing that probably exceeds the pileup of President Trump's nominees who are not getting into his administration is the pileup of bad ObamaCare news stories. Just take a look at a few of the recent headlines.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer: ``Another insurer leaves Ohio health care exchange.''

From Bloomberg: ``Anthem's Exit Creates Obamacare `Crisis' for Rural Nevadans.''

From the Washington Free Beacon: ``Recent Obamacare Insurer Exits Lead to 2 More Counties With No Choices.''

This is another headline from the Washington Free Beacon: ``19th Obamacare Co-Op Folds, Leaving Only 4 Operating in 2018.''

Across the United States, the story is the same--huge premium increases, fewer choices, and a system that is well on its way to complete collapse.

In late May, the Department of Health and Human Services released a report comparing the average individual market insurance premium in 2013, which was the year most of ObamaCare's regulations and mandates were implemented, with the average individual market exchange premium in 2017 in the 39 States that use healthcare.gov. This is what they found:

Between 2013 and 2017, the average individual market monthly premium in the healthcare.gov States increased by 105 percent. That is in the 4-year timeframe since ObamaCare was implemented. On average, individual market premiums more than doubled in just those few years.

In my home State of South Dakota, premiums increased by 124 percent, or $3,588. That is money South Dakota families had to take from other priorities, such as saving for retirement or investing in their children's education. Over the past 5 years, the average individual market yearly premium has increased by $4,800 in Arizona; $8,364 in Alaska; $3,648 in Louisiana; $5,064 in North Carolina; $4,488 in Tennessee; and $5,292 in West Virginia.

Premium hikes aren't over. In fact, in many cases, they are getting worse. Here are some of the premium hikes insurers are proposing for 2018. In Maryland, one insurer has proposed an average premium increase of 52 percent. An Iowa insurer is seeking an average 43.5 percent premium increase. In North Carolina, an insurer is pursuing an average 22.9 percent hike. A Virginia insurer is looking for an average rate increase of 38 percent. A Delaware insurer is looking for an average rate hike of 33.6 percent. A Maine insurer is seeking an average rate hike of 40 percent. I could go on. Remember, these are rate hikes for just 1 year. The double-digit rate hikes for next year are in addition to years upon years of dramatic Obama premium increases, as I already pointed out.

The ObamaCare status quo is not sustainable. This law was fatally flawed from the beginning, and it is rapidly imploding. The American people need relief. Inaction is not an option.

My colleagues across the aisle seem to want to do one of two things. They either want to do nothing, which would leave Americans even worse off than they are now, or they want to double down on ObamaCare's failures by giving the government even more control over Americans' healthcare and then raising Americans' taxes to pay for it. Neither one of those so-called solutions will provide relief to the American people.

Republicans are committed to providing real help to the millions of Americans who have been hurt by ObamaCare, and we are working on legislation to do just that. My colleagues

in the House made a good start, and we are working to build on their bill here in the Senate.

We are committed to helping to stabilize the collapsing insurance markets that left millions of Americans with no options. We are committed to freeing the American people from the onerous ObamaCare individual mandate, which requires Americans to purchase insurance that they may not want or can't afford. We are committed to improving the affordability of health insurance, which keeps getting more expensive under ObamaCare. We are committed to preserving access to care for Americans with preexisting conditions. We are committed to strengthening Medicaid for those who need it most by giving States more flexibility while ensuring that those who rely on this program don't have the rug pulled out from under them.

The American people have suffered under ObamaCare for long enough. It is time to give them some relief, and that is what we intend to do.

Mr. President, today I wish to recognize Sisseton, SD. The town of Sisseton will be celebrating its quasquicentennial on June 14 through 16, 2017. Sisseton will host quasquicentennial events, which include food and craft vendors, various exhibits, entertainment, parades, athletic competitions, a veterans museum display, Native American flute music, a rodeo, and much more.

Sisseton is located on the northern edge of the Coteau des Prairies in Roberts County. The Sisseton area has long been known as a community enriched with Native American and immigrant history. It is home to more than 2,450 people and almost 200 businesses with many unique cultural and recreational opportunities. Since its founding 125 years ago, the community of Sisseton continues to serve as a strong example of South Dakota values and traditions.

I offer my congratulations to the citizens of Sisseton on their quasquicentennial celebration and wish them continued prosperity in the years to come.

Mr. President, today I recognize the hard work of my Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee intern Lilli Jasper. Lilli hails from Sioux Falls, SD, and is a rising junior at South Dakota State University.

While interning on the Commerce Committee, Lilli assisted the Communication, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet Subcommittee. She is a dedicated worker who was committed to getting the most out of her internship. I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Lilli for all of the fine work she did for the committee and wish her continued success in the years to come.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I would like to read a few headlines from the past couple of weeks.

From the Detroit Free Press: ``ObamaCare rates in Michigan could skyrocket as much as 31 percent in 2018.''

This is from the Associated Press: ``New Mexico health insurer proposes 80 percent premium hike.''

From the Washington Examiner: ``CMS: 47 counties won't have ObamaCare coverage in 2018.''

From Bloomberg: ``Anthem to Leave ObamaCare Markets in Indiana and Wisconsin.''

From the Washington Free Beacon: ``Last Insurer in Delaware Requests Rate Hike of 33.6 Percent for 2018.''

These headlines should probably be shocking--an 80-percent premium increase; 47 counties without an insurer--but they are not. Insurers leaving the market, huge premium hikes, lack of coverage--that is par for the course for ObamaCare. Unfortunately, too many Americans have gotten used to those types of headlines. I have lost count how many times I have come down to the floor to read similar headlines.

While these headlines may not be shocking anymore, they are still disturbing. Behind these stories are tens of thousands of struggling Americans who can no longer afford the ObamaCare premiums, Americans who are losing their healthcare plan again, Americans who are worried they won't have any coverage options at all for 2018. ObamaCare may have been well-intentioned, but good intentions are not enough.

ObamaCare was fatally flawed from the beginning, and it is rapidly imploding. We can do one of two things: We can just wait around for the exchanges

to collapse completely, as our colleagues across the aisle seem inclined to do, or we can act. Sitting around waiting for the exchanges to collapse might be the easier path, but we can't do much good for the American people if we are sitting on the bench and watching.

Republicans promised the American people that we would rescue them from the burdens of ObamaCare, and we intend to keep that promise. Last week, Senate Republicans released legislation to start undoing the damage caused by ObamaCare. It is called the Better Care Reconciliation Act.

To start with, our bill provides relief to individuals and families by repealing ObamaCare's burdensome individual and employer mandates. Under our legislation, Americans will no longer be forced to buy insurance they don't want or can't afford. Employers will no longer be faced with the choice of reducing worker hours or not hiring more employees simply to avoid the Federal Government's heavy hand.

Our bill also repeals the burdensome ObamaCare taxes. Taxes have consequences. When you raise taxes on everything from lifesaving medical devices, such as pacemakers, to health insurance itself, which ObamaCare did, it is no surprise that these things get less affordable. Our goal with this bill is to make healthcare more affordable and more accessible for all Americans. Repealing ObamaCare taxes is one part of that.

Stabilizing the rapidly collapsing ObamaCare markets is another part. Premiums on the exchanges are spiraling out of control, and insurers are fleeing the marketplace. The Better Care Act will help stabilize the markets and check premium increases.

The Better Care Act provides funding to help States implement solutions to help make healthcare more affordable for their low-income and high-risk residents.

Giving States flexibility was an important priority for us in drafting the Better Care Act. ObamaCare, of course, took the opposite approach, attempting to impose a one-size-fits-all solution on every State in the Union. But the problem with that is that it is pretty much impossible for a massive Federal bureaucracy to hand down one comprehensive solution that will somehow meet the needs of everyone in this country, not to mention that top-down, one-size-fits-all solutions are seldom the most efficient or affordable. Bureaucracy costs money, after all.

Our goal in drafting the Better Care Act was to make sure the States had the flexibility to address the needs of their specific populations. So we provide a State innovation fund to help them meet the particular needs of their residents. We also empower States by simplifying the waiver process by which they can seek relief from some of ObamaCare's demands and by allowing them to encourage a greater variety of healthcare solutions. We give States more flexibility when it comes to meeting the needs of their residents who rely on Medicaid.

In addition to giving States the flexibility to design affordable healthcare solutions and to encourage innovation, our bill also provides help directly to Americans who are most in need. The Better Care Act provides advanceable and refundable tax credits to Americans making from zero to 350 percent of the Federal poverty level. The credits are adjusted to ensure that those in the most need get the most help.

Among other things, these credits will provide help to low-income Americans around the country who currently receive no healthcare assistance. In many States, thousands of Americans are unable to qualify for Medicaid but don't earn enough to get ObamaCare subsidies. That leaves these families with no assistance when it comes to purchasing health insurance. The Better Care Act fixes this.

The Wall Street Journal reports: ``The Senate bill would extend eligibility for premium subsidies to about 2.6 million more adults with income below the federal poverty line, according to estimates from the Kaiser Family Foundation.''

Since ObamaCare became law, I have heard from so many South Dakotans struggling under the law's mandates and the massive healthcare costs it has imposed. This bill is going to bring them relief. No more ObamaCare mandates, protection for those with preexisting conditions, more affordable premiums, a more stable insurance market, assistance for low-income families, more flexibility to contribute to health savings accounts, increased flexibility for States to meet the needs of their Medicaid populations, more funding for hospitals that provide care to low-income South Dakotans, relief from ObamaCare taxes and, for the first time ever, 37,000 South Dakotans living below 100 percent of the poverty level will have assistance in getting health insurance on the individual market. This bill will give South Dakotans and all Americans access to better and more affordable healthcare.

The Better Care Act is the product of weeks of dialogue and collaboration among the Members of our conference, and I am particularly grateful to Senators Alexander, Enzi, and Hatch, who have helped provide outstanding leadership throughout this process.

As I said earlier, Republicans made the American people a promise. We promised we would provide relief to the millions of Americans suffering under ObamaCare, and this bill delivers on that promise. I hope we will have the opportunity soon to vote for this legislation because it is time to give the American people access to real healthcare reform.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, today I recognize Summit, SD. The town of Summit will be celebrating its quasquicentennial on June 23 through 25, 2017. Summit will host quasquicentennial events, which include school tours, alumni gatherings, a craft and flea market, competitions, tournaments, and a parade.

Summit is located in the Coteau des Prairies in Roberts County. The Summit area has long been known as a community enriched with various outdoor activities, such as fishing, hunting, and camping. Since its founding 125 years ago, the community of Summit continues to serve as a strong example of South Dakota values and traditions. It is also known as the location of the annual Fog Fest.

I offer my congratulations to the citizens of Summit on their quasquicentennial celebration and wish them continued prosperity in the years to come.

Mr. President, it is hard to argue that ObamaCare is not a failing law. Seven years after it became law, its laundry list of problems continues to grow: higher premiums, higher deductibles, customers losing healthcare plans, patients losing doctors, fewer choices, failed co-ops, unraveling exchanges. And, unfortunately, without action, that list will only get longer and the consequences will only become more severe. Republicans know that. Democrats know that. Unfortunately, many Americans know it firsthand.

The American people deserve better, and they rightly expect us to act. That

is why choosing to watch from the sidelines as ObamaCare fails is not an option.

To say that ObamaCare has created significant problems for the American people is an understatement. That is why Senate Republicans are working to fix the mess created by ObamaCare to provide real solutions to this failed law. We want to save the millions of hard- working families who are trapped by ObamaCare's taxes and mandates.

Average annual individual market premiums have increased by $2,928-- an increase of 105 percent--since 2013 in the 39 States that use healthcare.gov. And 62 percent of States using healthcare.gov, including my home State of South Dakota, saw premiums double between 2013 and 2017. We will help stabilize these collapsing insurance markets that have left millions of Americans with little or no options.

Today, one in three counties has only one insurer on its ObamaCare exchange. According to CMS, 47 counties nationwide are projected to have no insurers, which means Americans in these counties could be without coverage on the exchanges for 2018. As many as 1,200 counties-- nearly 40 percent of counties nationwide--could have only one issuer in 2018. It is hard to argue that you have a market, that you have competition, when you have one option. That is 40 percent of the counties in America in 2018.

We will improve the affordability of healthcare by eliminating the ObamaCare taxes and mandates that are causing premiums to increase the most. These taxes and mandates have cost the American economy $1 trillion--a cost that was ultimately incurred by patients in the form of higher costs and larger tax bills. Reversing these taxes will provide millions of American families and businesses with much needed tax relief.

We will also preserve access to care for individuals with preexisting conditions. There has been a lot of debate and misinformation, I might add, about this issue over the past few months. In the Senate, we will ensure that individuals with preexisting conditions continue to have access to the care they depend upon.

We will also safeguard Medicaid by giving States more flexibility, while ensuring that those who rely on this program will not have the rug pulled out from under them. States should have the flexibility to design and operate Medicaid programs in a fiscally responsible way and not be stymied by the Federal Government.

Making these critical reforms to Medicaid will empower States with the tools they need to implement healthcare programs that best meet their residents' needs.

We must also ensure that those Americans who already rely on this program will not be left in the lurch. Republicans recognize our responsibility to make sure that Medicaid continues to provide quality care for these vulnerable citizens. We will balance the needs of the individuals who have Medicaid coverage, while ensuring sustainability of the Medicaid Program.

Finally, we will free the American people from the onerous ObamaCare mandates that, in some cases, forced them to purchase insurance they don't want or can't afford. These mandates have resulted in burdensome taxes that have been levied against most small businesses and the American people. The Republican healthcare plan will revoke these burdensome mandates and put the American people--not Washington--back in charge of their healthcare. This will be a huge leap in the right direction for hard-working families and small businesses.

Reforming America's healthcare system isn't easy, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. We have spent years--literally years--debating this issue, and we have had lots of ideas along the way. Now it is time to take action.

The core principles of the Republican healthcare plan are as follows: helping to stabilize collapsing insurance markets; improving the affordability of health insurance; preserving access to care for those with preexisting conditions; safeguarding Medicaid for those who need it the most; and freeing the American people from onerous ObamaCare mandates.

Without meaningful action, ObamaCare's problems aren't going anywhere. Without action, the individual market will continue to collapse, and more and more Americans will be without insurance options. Without action, Americans will continue to experience rising healthcare costs because of the law's costly taxes and mandates. Without action, States will continue to be hamstrung by Medicaid's bureaucracy, and we will not be able to put this critical program on a more sustainable path for the folks who need it the most. Without action, the ``Washington knows best'' approach to healthcare will live on.

We cannot let that happen, which is why we plan to deliver patient- centered healthcare reforms that lower costs and increase access to care for the American people.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, once again, we have more bad news about ObamaCare. Last week, Anthem announced it will pull out of Ohio's health insurance exchange for 2018. That means that a minimum of 18 Ohio counties will be without an exchange insurer next year. Twenty- five Missouri counties are in the same boat, and more Americans are likely to find themselves in the same situation.

On June 2, the Omaha World-Herald announced that 100,000 Nebraskans could end up with zero options for individual coverage in 2018. Insurers have been pulling out of the exchanges right and left.

In February, Humana announced its decision to completely pull out of the exchanges for 2018. Three months later, Aetna, which had already sharply reduced its exchange participation in 2017, also confirmed it would pull out completely in 2018.

In 2016, 7 percent of U.S. counties had just one choice of insurer on their healthcare exchange. In 2017, this year, roughly one-third of U.S. counties have just one choice of insurer. Based upon the information available so far, the New York Times is currently estimating that about 45 percent of U.S. counties will have one or no insurer next year.

One thing is for sure, Mr. President, Americans are facing fewer and fewer health insurance choices, and the prices of those choices are going up.

Proposed rates, proposed rate increases for 2018 are emerging, and once again they are not looking good. Some of the average rate hikes facing Americans around the country include 17.2 percent, 33.8 percent, 30 percent, 45 percent, 38 percent, 58.8 percent.

Three weeks ago, the Department of Health and Human Services released a report comparing the average individual market insurance premium in 2013, which is the year that most of ObamaCare's regulations and mandates were implemented, with the average individual market exchange premium in 2017 in the 39 States that use healthcare.gov. What they found is that between 2013 and 2017, the average individual market monthly premium in the healthcare.gov States increased by 105 percent-- 105 percent.

In other words, on average, individual market premiums more than doubled in just 5 years. That is from HHS in their report that just came out in the last couple of weeks. Three States saw their premiums triple over the same period--triple in just 5 years.

I don't know too many families who can afford to have their premiums triple over 5 years. What we know is that the ObamaCare status quo is unacceptable, and it is unsustainable.

More than one insurance CEO has suggested that ObamaCare is in a death spiral, and it is pretty hard to disagree. Combine soaring premiums with a steady insurer exodus, and sooner or later we get a partial or complete exchange collapse, which is what we are facing today, not to mention all the other ObamaCare problems, such as the deductibles that are so high that sometimes people can't actually afford to use their healthcare plans or narrow plan networks with few provider choices. We have higher premiums, higher deductibles, higher costs, fewer options, fewer choices.

Republicans are currently working on legislation to help Americans struggling under ObamaCare. My colleagues in the House made a good start, and in the Senate we are working to build on the bill they passed.

We are committed to helping Americans trapped on the ObamaCare exchanges. We are committed to addressing ObamaCare's skyrocketing premium increases. We are committed to preserving access to care for Americans with preexisting conditions, and we are committed to making Medicaid more sustainable by giving States greater flexibility while ensuring those who rely on this program don't have the rug pulled out from under them. We need to make healthcare more affordable, more personal, more flexible, and less bureaucratic.

My colleague from Oregon was just talking about the complaints they have about the healthcare process, the discussions that are going on, and how much pain, if this passes, it is going to cause the American people. I can tell you one thing: Today, it is pretty darn painful for families I have talked to in my State of South Dakota, hard-working farm and ranch families who are having to pay $2,000 a month, $24,000 a year for insurance coverage--in some cases with $5,000 deductibles, assuming they can even afford to use that expensive policy by being able to cover the deductible. There are people across this country who are hurting because of this failed healthcare insurance program. It is high time for us to fix it.

I believe the American people want to see Congress act in a way that will make healthcare insurance more affordable to them, more personal, so that they will have more choices, greater options, and more competition that will help bring those premiums down to a more reasonable level. They need to have more than one choice. When 45 percent of the counties in America have one choice or no options on the exchanges, that is an unacceptable situation and one that we have to fix.