Guthrie Votes for H.R. 1173 Repealing Community Living Assistance Act
Congressman Brett Guthrie voted today, Wednesday, February 1, 2012, in favor of H.R. 1173 – Fiscal Responsibility and Retirement Security Act of 2011, which would repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act enacted under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
“The CLASS Act was unsustainable and unworkable from the time it was drafted,” Congressman Guthrie said. “Budget gimmicks, closed-door deals and parliamentary tricks were used to rush the health care law through, despite broad opposition from the American people. I strongly support ensuring Americans have affordable access to long term care but believe that saddling future generations with another unsustainable public program is not the way to restore our nation’s fiscal health.”
The CLASS program was designed as a national insurance program for long‐term care living assistance and was marketed as a self‐sustaining program that would reduce federal spending. The program was such an egregious budget gimmick that Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius even admitted that the program is unsustainable.
On October 14, 2011, the Obama administration acknowledged the program is not viable and halted efforts to establish the program. However, the CLASS Act remains on the books.
The legislation will now move to the Senate for consideration.
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