Wittman votes to repeal Obamacare and defund Planned Parenthood

Rep. Rob Wittman (VA-1), who represents part of Prince William County, released the following statement on Jan. 6, 2016, after voting in favor of the Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act:

“Today, I voted to send a bill to President Obama that would repeal the Affordable Care Act and eliminate federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

“One of the most significant challenges we are facing today is making sure that choice-based health care options are available for every American, regardless of age or income, and the President’s plan has failed to achieve that goal. That is why, from the very beginning, I have opposed Obamacare and the kind of top-down, one-size-fits-all regulation it represents, and it’s why I’ve voted more than 40 times for full or partial repeal. The American people deserve a patient-centered system that favors quality and choice, not more government bureaucracy.

“My vote for this legislation was also a personal one, because as a child of adoption, nothing is more important to me than protecting innocent life. The horrific videos that surfaced last year brought to light some of the unconscionable practices Planned Parenthood has condoned, and we can no longer stand silently by as federal funding goes to support an organization that participates in that kind of inhumane behavior. It is clear to me that we need to fundamentally change how we deal with Planned Parenthood, and that change has to happen now.”

By using the budget reconciliation process, a mechanism Congress can use once a year to avoid filibuster in the Senate, both chambers of Congress approved the repeal measure to send to the President’s desk for the first time since Obamacare’s enactment.

Congressman Rob Wittman serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he is Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee. He is a candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor of Virginia. His 30-year public service career spans local, state and federal elected office.