WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08) today voted to override President Obama’s veto of H.R. 3762, Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act. 

“It was no surprise that President Obama vetoed the first piece of legislation to ever make it to his desk that would provide relief to Americans by repealing the worst provisions in his healthcare law and that would eliminate mandatory funding for Planned Parenthood,” said Congressman Austin Scott. “I proudly supported a veto override today; however, the Democrats in the House are committed to upholding the President’s failed policies. I have been an ardent advocate for life and committed to protecting the unborn at all stages of life long before I came to Washington, and I proudly continued the fight to prohibit federal funds from going to abortion providers with this vote. As the House moves forward this year, I want to focus on turning conservative ideas into conservative solutions that benefit American citizens and Georgians back home- not on Obama’s failures or distraction attempts.”

H.R. 3762 was passed by both the House and the Senate and sent to the President’s desk on January 6, 2016.  President Obama vetoed the bill shortly thereafter.  The Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act would reduce the overall size and scope of the federal government by repealing major Obamacare provisions and prohibiting taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood.  Specifically, H.R. 3792 would repeal the employer and individual mandates, as well as taxes imposed by the Affordable Care Act like the “cadillac” and medical device taxes. 

The reconciliation act would place a one-year moratorium on federal mandatory funding for Planned Parenthood, blocking federal funding for the organization under Medicaid, CHIP, Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), and the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant program. Additionally, the legislation provides mandatory funding for the Community Health Center Program for FY 2016 and FY 2017, which offers many critical health care services for women.  According to the Alliance for Defending Freedom and the Charlotte Lozier Institute, “there are currently 13,540 clinics providing comprehensive health care for women, versus 665 Planned Parenthood locations” across the nation.  Congressman Austin Scott has maintained a 100% rating with National Right to Life throughout his time in Congress.  The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimate that H.R. 3762 would reduce the deficit by a total of $516 billion over the FY 2016-2025 period. 

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