Bill would guarantee patients and doctors the right to make health care choices, not unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats

Washington, DC - Congressman Bobby Schilling (IL-17) today voted in favor of H.R. 5, the Protecting Access to Health Care (PATH) Act, which will repeal the health care reform law's Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), among other things.  Opposition to the IPAB is broad and bipartisan, and today's vote marks the House of Representatives' 26th vote to repeal or defund parts of the unpopular health care law.

"Two short years ago when I was home running St. Giuseppe's Heavenly Pizza with my family, folks like us were led to believe that when the health care reform bill was passed and we found out what was in it that we'd like it," Schilling said.  "We were told that if we liked our health care we could keep it, assured that the law wouldn't be a budget-buster, and promised that the government would stay out of our health care decisions.  As many of us learned, though, that hasn't been the case."

The IPAB is a board of 15 unelected bureaucrats given power under the health care reform law to make cost-cutting decisions that restrict access to health care for Medicare beneficiaries.  There is no requirement for the panel's meetings or hearings to be held publicly, for the panel to consider public or Congressional input on its proposals, or to make its deliberations open to the public.  Further, according to the law the board "may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of services or property," essentially inviting lobbyists to shower the unelected and unaccountable Board members with meals, cash, cars, vacations, or even homes.   

"I firmly disagree with the Independent Payment Advisory Board - the Health Care IRS - approach to Medicare, which threatens American seniors' access to quality health care," Schilling said.  "Medicare is a lifeline to American seniors, and nothing is as important to them as having guaranteed health care coverage.  With today's vote we are protecting and empowering our seniors, removing bureaucrats from health care decisions that should be made by patients, doctors, and families."

In addition to repealing the Independent Payment Advisory Board, the PATH Act includes lawsuit abuse reform.  According to the Harvard School of Public Health, 40% of medical malpractice suits filed in the United States are "without merit," leading to the widespread practice of defensive medicine that drives up health care costs without improving patient care.  The PATH Act will reduce the practice of defensive medicine, including a $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages (pain and suffering, in other words) and limits on the contingency fees lawyers can charge.  The PATH Act does allow for the payment of 100% of plaintiffs' economic damages (including medical costs, lost wages and future lost wages, rehabilitation costs, etc).

"In last year's State of the Union Address the President said he would be willing to work with us to make health care better or more affordable, and look at ideas like medical malpractice reform that Republicans had suggested to bring down health care costs," Schilling said.  "The PATH Act does just that.  I hope we can move this bill forward together to bring down costs, rein in frivolous lawsuits, and put seniors and their doctors back in charge of their health care decisions."

First public-private partnership under new Schilling-Loebsack arsenal law

Washington, DC - Congressmen Bobby Schilling (IL-17) and Dave Loebsack (IA-02) this morning applauded the Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center (JMTC) and Mack Defense agreement that will provide Mack Defense access, via public-private partnerships, to the only remaining U.S. Army foundry and the Army's only vertically integrated metal manufacturing facility.

The RIA-JMTC and Mack Defense agreement to form a public-private partnership is the first such intent to partner since Schilling-Loebsack Arsenal provisions were signed into law early this year as part of the FY2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). 

"I couldn't be more pleased by news of the formation of a job-creating public-private partnership between the JMTC and Mack Defense,"  Schilling said. "This new agreement strengthens the Arsenal and the JMTC, and will surely strengthen our case as Team Rock Island Arsenal continues promoting the Arsenal's value to our national defense needs and to our region."

"Today's announcement is a win-win-win agreement for the Arsenal, Mack Defense and the hard working folks in the Quad Cities," said Loebsack. "This is a great partnership being done under the authority of the new provisions that Rep. Schilling and I were proud to push through Congress. It will strengthen the Arsenal and the JMTC and I look forward to seeing this and future partnerships grow."

"This is great news that demonstrates once more a success story of partnership between the Department of Defense industrial base and industry in support of our nation's objectives. Such partnering is the solution to a reduced Department of Defense budget while allowing the U.S. to maintain its warfighting edge," said Major General (Ret) Yves Fontaine of Fontaine Consulting LLC, former Commanding General of the U.S. Army Sustainment Command at the Rock Island Arsenal.

Schilling and Loebsack secured landmark language in the HASC markup of the NDAA in May to lift the legal cap on the number of public-private partnerships arsenals can enter into.  That cap was limited to eight spread across arsenals throughout the country, limiting RIA's flexibility to increase its workload and broaden its regional, private-sector economic impact.  The Schilling-Loebsack language went on to pass the House as part of the comprehensive NDAA in a bipartisan vote of 322-92.  The Senate version of the NDAA did not fully remove the cap, instead lifting it to 15.

Schilling and Loebsack were named to the NDAA Conference Committee tasked with working out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the NDAA.  As conferees, the Congressmen successfully maintained the House-passed PPP language to maximize the possibility for private-sector job growth at installations like RIA.  They also successfully included a provision in the conference report that would designate the Arsenal as a Center for Industrial and Technical Excellence (CITEs), further improving its ability to enter into public-private partnerships, provide for our men and women in combat, and strengthen the Arsenal's core skills and manufacturing abilities.  These Schilling-Loebsack provisions were approved as part of the comprehensive NDAA by the House and the Senate, and were signed into law by the president.

The JMTC is a one-of-a-kind U.S. Army facility which manufactures critical equipment for our troops around the world.  The more than 1,700 individuals employed at JMTC specialize in manufacturing artillery, armor, small arms, and mobile maintenance kits for use on the front lines.  The JMTC, perhaps best known for howitzer production, operates the Army's only foundry and since 2003 has produced half of all armor for Army tactical wheeled vehicles.  Veterans make up more than half of JMTC's highly-skilled workforce.