Alabama U.S. Senator Richard Shelby is hoping to take the first steps in eliminating funding for President Obama’s health care law, citing the need for additional reductions in spending.
“Anyone who believes that the government will save money by spending taxpayer dollars on a new entitlement is living in a fantasy world,” the Alabama Republican said in a statement. “In reality, our nation is already struggling to reform existing entitlements in order to preserve them and step back from the fiscal precipice. We simply cannot afford another entitlement. Even if we possessed the financial means, we should not pursue this policy.
Mr. Shelby, who has been a vocal critic of Mr. Obama, said the health care law would leave the nation bankrupt. Mr. Shelby’s statement comes as a bipartisan group of members of Congress are tasked with eliminating upwards of $2 trillion in spending as part of congressional committee agreed upon during the debt ceiling debate. President Obama, speaking earlier this week, has called for additional spending cuts and increased in revenue, a move that Republicans have previously rejected.
Speaking Wednesday, Mr. Shelby asserted that Mr. Obama’s health care law would cost the nation jobs and increase taxes. “The Democrats’ health care law is already increasing costs, taxes, and regulations when job creators can afford it least,” Mr. Shelby said.
