Rick Berg

Rep. Rick Berg, R-N.D., weighed in today on the one year anniversary since the federal health care reform package was signed into law by President Barack Obama.

And Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said today he believes a bill will soon become law that will repeal a new reporting requirement for small businesses that was included with the health care reform package.

Berg released a statement about the “job-crushing health care law” and his commitment to fight for its repeal.

“One year ago, behind closed doors and against the will of the American people, President Obama signed a law that forced a costly and unwanted overhaul of health care upon the American people. This law threatens Americans’ access to affordable, quality health care and burdens America’s small businesses with more uncertainty, taxes and regulation in a time when we need these job-creators to help get our country’s economy back on track. Our nation faces a record-high deficit, and rather than reducing government spending, President Obama’s health care law will add billions to our already unsustainable mountain of debt.

“North Dakotans want health care reform that lowers costs, ends lawsuit abuse and puts doctors and patients in control of health care decisions, not government bureaucrats.  They have sent a loud message to Washington that they do not want President Obama’s health care law—that’s why I co-sponsored the repeal of Obamacare, voted to defund it altogether and have been working to take it apart piece by piece. I will continue to fight to abolish Obamacare, and I hope Senate Democrats and President Obama will listen to the American people and join the House in repealing this burdensome law.”

Berg was an original co-sponsor of the Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act and has voted for multiple amendments to defund provisions of the law. The repeal bill passed the House in a 245-189 vote Jan. 19, but Democratic leaders blocked the legislation in the Senate.

Hoeven said today that bills eliminating the 1099 reporting requirement have already passed both chambers of Congress. The new mandate requires every business, charity and local and state government entity to submit 1099 forms for business transactions totaling $600 or more in a year.

John Hoeven

Hoeven co-sponsored the Senate bill, known as the Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination, and is now co-sponsoring an amendment to the Senate’s Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer bill that includes the House measure.

“America’s 17 million small businesses are the backbone of the American economy,” he said in a written statement. “The sooner we can reduce their regulatory burden and provide the certainty they need to hire and grow, the sooner they can start to create jobs and get our economy moving again.”

Hoeven has voted for repeal of the federal health care legislation, and said the country needs health care reform that will reduce costs, increase competition among insurers and reform Medicare in a way that rewards reduced costs and good outcomes.