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A Message From Representative Walden
Dear Friend:

From town hall meetings in Oregon (29 in 2015 alone, at least one in every county), telephone town halls, my website, e-mail, snail mail, and social media, I use many different ways to keep in touch with Oregonians in the vast Second District. Whether it’s increased health care costs putting a strain on our middle-class families, or the continued funding of Planned Parenthood with taxpayer dollars, it seems to me that many people in Oregon are ready for some change.

That’s why the House and Senate passed, with my strong support, a bill (H.R. 3762) that would have dismantled the worst abuses of Obamacare, protected taxpayer dollars, defunded Planned Parenthood, and invested in women’s health care. Republicans in the House have repeatedly called for these critical reforms. Although the President vetoed this bill, I’m proud we got it to his desk.

The bill would have taken significant steps to repeal the failed policies of the Affordable Care Act. We moved to scrap controversial provisions like the individual mandate, the employer mandate, and the “Cadillac Tax”, which all attempt to coerce the American people into buying more costly health insurance, and then tax them for it. It’s no wonder that families have started to see their health care bills skyrocket. This bill also would have repealed the Medical Device Tax, a tax that stifles innovation and increases the cost of care.

Not only would this bill have repealed onerous taxes laid out by Obamacare, the Congressional Budget Office estimates it could have saved the taxpayers over $500 billion by getting rid of wasteful subsidies and other spending. We need to return to a patient-based healthcare system that empowers families to make their own decisions, free from government interference.

This bill also intended to place a one-year moratorium on federal funding for Planned Parenthood, reallocating those taxpayer dollars to Federally Qualified Community Health Centers (FQHCs). These local health centers provide quality care for women and men across the country, without engaging in the horrible practices that Planned Parenthood has been accused of. Planned Parenthood currently receives over $500 billion in government funding every year, yet according to the Charlotte Lozier Institute, there are only four Planned Parenthood sites in Southern, Central or Eastern Oregon. Frankly, redistributing these funds away from Planned Parenthood would mean MORE access to health care for families in our district.

Although the President vetoed this bill, H.R. 3762 is still a great step in the right direction. It sets the stage for future reforms that get back to the basics of consumer-driven health care and free the American people from being forced to send tax dollars to organizations that violate their religious beliefs.

It is an honor to represent you in the U.S. Congress.

Best regards,

Greg Walden
U.S. Representative
Oregon’s Second District

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