Path 2

News Thursday, May 25 2017

Flippin' Heller: Heller Voted for Trump's Budget Priorities

May 25, 2017

Dean Heller says Donald Trump’s budget would be “anti-Nevada” because it cuts Medicaid by billions and funds the Yucca Mountain project.

But Dean Heller voted to cut $1.35 trillion from Medicaid in 2015 and he voted to cut federal funding for Medicaid in half in 2011 despite the fact that Medicaid provides care for over 625,00 Nevadans.

Just as bad, Heller has voted to eliminate and undermine Medicaid expansion dozens of times — despite the fact that it provides essential care to over 200,000 Nevadans.

Heller has even voted for a spending plan that funded the Yucca Mountain project, because he was too weak and lazy to get the funding removed.

“How dumb does Dean Heller think Nevadans are? After voting to gut Medicaid, to end Medicaid expansion, and to fund the Yucca Mountain project, Dean Heller thinks he can pull the wool over voters’ eyes,” said American Bridge spokesperson Joshua Karp. “For years Dean Heller has voted against what’s best for Nevadans — and next November they will hold him accountable.”

Check the facts…

HELLER ON HELLER: “ANTI-NEVADA”

Heller’s Anti-Nevada Record: Voting For Hundreds Of Billions In Medicaid Cuts

HELLER CITED CUTS TO MEDICAID AS ONE OF THE REASONS TRUMP’S BUDGET WAS ANTI-NEVADA…

Heller Opposed Trump’s Budget As “Anti-Nevada” And Specifically Cited His Concerns “About The Budget’s $800 Billion In Cuts To Medicaid.” According to a press release from the Office of Sen. Heller, “U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) today criticized the President’s budget request to Congress as ‘anti-Nevada’ for its inclusion of $120 million in funding for the Department of Energy (DOE) to restart licensing activities for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository as well as its proposed cuts to important public land programs in Nevada, the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program and the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act’s (SNPLMA) program. Additionally, Heller is concerned about the budget’s $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid and its impact on Nevada’s budget and the more than 200,000 Nevadans who now have health care because of Nevada’s decision to expand Medicaid.” [Office of Sen. Heller, 5/23/17]

…BUT HELLER HAS A DEMONSTRATED RECORD OF VOTING FOR HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS IN MEDICAID CUTS…

2015: Heller Voted To Cut Medicaid By $1.35 Trillion As Part Of The FY 2016 Conference Report Budget Resolution. In May 2015, Heller voted to cut Medicaid by about $500 billion over ten years as part of the FY 2016 conference report budget resolution. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, “The budget agreement would also deeply cut the rest of Medicaid.  While it doesn’t clearly say by how much, the cut appears to be roughly $500 billion (or about 13 percent) over ten years.  (The total Medicaid cut, including repeal of the Medicaid expansion, would be about $1.35 trillion, relative to current law, over that period.).” The vote was on the Conference Report; the Conference Report, which also passed the House, was passed by a vote of 51 to 48. [Senate Vote 171, 5/5/15; Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 5/1/15; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 11]
  • Medicaid Provided Coverage To 67 Million People In 2012, Including 32 Million Children, 19 Million Adults, 6 Million Seniors And 11 Million Disabled. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; “In 2012, Medicaid provided health coverage for 67 million low-income Americans over the course of the year, including 32 million children, 19 million adults (mostly low-income working parents), 6 million seniors, and 11 million persons with disabilities, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates.” [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 5/8/13]
  • Children Account For About Half Of Medicaid Enrollees. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; “Children account for nearly half of all Medicaid enrollees but just one-fifth of Medicaid spending.” [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 5/8/13]
2015: Heller Voted Against Reducing Cuts To Medicaid By $1.2 Trillion. In March 2015, Heller voted against an amendment to the FY 2016 Budget that, according to The Hill, “would have rolled back more than $1.2 trillion in cuts to Medicaid.” The amendment was defeated by a vote of 47 to 53. [Senate Vote 95, 3/26/15; The Hill, 3/26/15; Congressional Actions, S. Amdt. 1012; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 11]
  • Supporters Said That The Amendment Restored $1.2 Trillion Cut By Senate Republicans’ FY 2016 Budget And Would Prevents Cuts In Reimbursement’s For Nursing Home And Long Term Care Facilities. According to the Hill, “Before the vote, Wyden urged his colleagues to support the amendment, saying it would ‘be consistent with our Medicaid vote that was cast earlier this week.’ ‘It’s impossible to square [a] budget that has $1.2 trillion in cuts, with the vote that was held earlier this week to protect Medicaid,’ he said. ‘You can’t get those savings without cutting reimbursements for nursing homes and long term care facilities.’” [The Hill, 3/26/15]
2011: Heller Voted To Consider Sen. Pat Toomey’s FY 2012 Budget, Which Turned Medicaid From An Guaranteed Entitlement Into A Block Grant. In May 2011, Heller voted to consider turning Medicaid into a block grant program, as part of Sen. Pat Toomey’s (R-PA) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2012 to 2021. According to Sen. Toomey’s “Restoring Balance,” the budget “implement[ed] a block-grant program to the states” for Medicaid.  The vote was on a motion to proceed to consider the resolution; the motion failed by a vote of 42 to 55. [Senate Vote 79, 5/25/11; Restoring Balance, 5/10/11; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 21]
  • Toomey’s Budget Plan Converted The Federal Share Of Medicaid Into Block Grants To States, With Spending Frozen Through 2017. “Toomey said his alternative budget plan would balance the budget within eight years. On taxes, it would lower marginal tax rates by 20 percent, index the alternative minimum tax for inflation and lower the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent.  Toomey’s budget would adopt provisions of the plan put forth by House Budget Chairman Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., which the House approved last month, including language to overhaul Medicare and repeal the health can the proposed $771 billion cut over ten years in the Ryan plan.” [CBPP, 5/25/11]
  • Toomey Budget Would Cut Federal Funding For Medicaid In Half By 2021. “About $1.1 trillion would come from Senator Toomey’s proposal to turn Medicaid into a block grant and cut federal funding for the program by half by 2021 (separate and apart from the $627 billion cut in health reform-related Medicaid costs). This would shift huge costs to the states and force cuts in the number of poor elderly, disabled, and children served and the services they receive. Senator Toomey’s Medicaid cuts, not counting those related to health reform, are $326 billion larger than the proposed $771 billion cut over ten years in the Ryan plan.” [CBPP, 5/25/11]

2011: Heller Effectively Voted For FY 2012 Ryan Budget, Which Would Have Repealed The Affordable Care Act. In May 2011, Heller effectively voted for repealing the Affordable Care Act, as part of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2012 to 2021. According to the House Budget Committee, the budget would “repeal the government takeover of healthcare.” The vote was on a motion to proceed to consider the House-passed budget resolution, which the Senate rejected by a vote of 40 to 57. [Senate Vote 77, 5/25/11; House Budget Committee, 4/5/11; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 34]

  • Ryan’s Plan Would Have Reduced Medicaid Spending By $750 Billion Over 10 Years. According to the House Budget Committee, the budget’s Medicaid Proposal would “Save $750 billion over ten years, contributing to the long-term stabilization of the federal government’s fiscal path and encouraging fiscal responsibility at the state level.” [House Budget Committee, 4/5/11]
  • Kaiser Family Foundation: Ryan Budget Would Have Cut Nevada Medicaid Funding By $9 Billion Or 44 Percent. [Kaiser Family Foundation, National and State-by-State Impact of the 2012 House Republican Budget Plan for Medicaid, October 2012]
2011: Heller Voted For FY 2012 Ryan Budget, Which Would Have Converted Medicaid To A Block Grant And Eliminated Federal Coverage Mandates. In April 2011, Heller voted for converting Medicaid to a block grant and eliminating federal coverage mandates, as part of  House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2012 to 2021. According to the House Budget Committee, the budget would “convert the federal share of Medicaid spending into a block grant tailored to meet each state’s needs, indexed for inflation and population growth. […] States will no longer be shackled by federally determined program requirements and enrollment criteria. Instead, they will have the freedom and flexibility to tailor a Medicaid program that fits the needs of their unique populations.” The vote was on passage; the resolution passed by a vote of 235 to 193. [House Vote 277, 4/15/11; House Budget Committee, 4/5/11; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 34]
  • Ryan’s Plan Would Have Reduced Medicaid Spending By $750 Billion Over 10 Years. According to the House Budget Committee, the budget’s Medicaid Proposal would “Save $750 billion over ten years, contributing to the long-term stabilization of the federal government’s fiscal path and encouraging fiscal responsibility at the state level.” [House Budget Committee, 4/5/11]
  • Kaiser Family Foundation: Ryan Budget Would Have Cut Nevada Medicaid Funding By $9 Billion Or 44 Percent. [Kaiser Family Foundation, National and State-by-State Impact of the 2012 House Republican Budget Plan for Medicaid, October 2012]

Heller’s Anti-Nevada Record: Voting To Repeal The ACA’s Medicaid Expansion

HELLER CITED HIS CONCERNS WITH THE IMPACT OF TRUMP BUDGET’S MEDICAID CUTS DUE TO NEVADA’S MEDICAID EXPANSION…

Heller Cited His Concerns With The Trump Budget’s Impact On Nevada’s Budget Due To Nevada’s Decision To Expand Medicaid As A Reason The Budget Was “Anti-Nevada.” According to a press release from the Office of Sen. Heller, “U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) today criticized the President’s budget request to Congress as ‘anti-Nevada’ for its inclusion of $120 million in funding for the Department of Energy (DOE) to restart licensing activities for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository as well as its proposed cuts to important public land programs in Nevada, the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program and the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act’s (SNPLMA) program. Additionally, Heller is concerned about the budget’s $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid and its impact on Nevada’s budget and the more than 200,000 Nevadans who now have health care because of Nevada’s decision to expand Medicaid.” [Office of Sen. Heller, 5/23/17]

…BUT HELLER VOTED TO REPEAL OR UNDERMINE THE ACA & MEDICAID EXPANSION DOZENS OF TIMES DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT WAS SUPPORTED BY GOVERNOR SANDOVAL & HELPED OVER 200,000 NEVADANS

More Than 200,000 Nevadans Gained Access To Medicaid Through The ACA’s Medicaid Expansion. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 203,900 adults gained coverage under the ACA’s Medicaid expansion. [Kaiser Family Foundation, 1/17]
  • Nevada Independent: Governor Sandoval Was The “First Republican Chief Executive To Embrace Medicaid Expansion. According to the Nevada Independent, “Gov. Sandoval, the first Republican chief executive to embrace Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, said he won’t support a plan that doesn’t cover more than 300,000 low-income Nevadans who benefitted.” [Nevada Independent, 3/9/17]
  • Since Medicaid Expanded In Nevada, The Number Of Covered Individuals Has Doubled To 638,000. According to the Nevada Independent, “The number of covered individuals in the state has doubled since Medicaid expansion was implemented in 2014, from 323,000 to 638,000. Gov. Brian Sandoval committed to expand Medicaid under the ACA in December 2012, and Medicaid expansion went into effect in Nevada in January 2014.” [Nevada Independent, 2/9/17]
2017: Heller Voted For A Budget Resolution Designed To Begin The Process Of Repealing The Affordable Care Act, Which Also Assumes A $9 Trillion Increase In The Federal Debt Over The Next Ten Years. In January 2017, Heller voted for a budget resolution designed to begin reconciliation instructions to repeal the Affordable Care Act. According to Congressional Quarterly, “the proposed 10-year spending framework culminates in a $1 trillion annual deficit and adds about $9 trillion to the national debt.” The vote was on passage. The Senate passed the budget resolution by a vote of 51 to 48. The House later passed the resolution. [Senate Vote 26, 1/12/17; Congressional Quarterly, 1/4/17; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 3]

2017: Heller Effectively Voted For A Budget Resolution Designed To Begin The Process Of Repealing The Affordable Care Act. In January 2017, Heller effectively voted for a budget resolution designed to begin reconciliation instructions to repeal the Affordable Care Act. According to Congressional Quarterly, “The Senate on Wednesday voted 51-48 to move ahead in debating a fiscal 2017 budget resolution that would include reconciliation instructions repealing the 2010 health care law (PL 111-148, PL 111-152).” The vote was on a motion to proceed. The Senate agreed to the motion by a vote of 51 to 48. The Senate later passed the resolution. [Senate Vote 1, 1/4/17; Congressional Quarterly, 1/4/17; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 3]

2015: Heller Voted For A Bill That Repealed Portions Of The Affordable Care Act, Including Eliminating The Act’s Medicaid Expansion In 2018. In December 2015, Heller voted for a bill that according to Congressional Quarterly, would have “scrap[ed] in 2018 the law’s Medicaid expansion, as well as subsidies to help individuals buy coverage through the insurance exchanges.” Additionally, according to Congressional Quarterly the bill would have “repeal[ed] portions of the 2010 health care law and block[ed] federal funding for Planned Parenthood for one year. As amended, the bill would zero-out the law’s penalties for noncompliance with the law’s requirements for most individuals to obtain health coverage and employers to offer health insurance.” The vote was on passage of a reconciliation bill. The Senate approved the bill by a vote of 52 to 47. The bill was later passed by the full Congress, which the president then vetoed. The House was not able to override the veto. [Senate Vote 329, 12/3/15; Congressional Quarterly, 12/3/15; Real Clear Politics, 12/4/15 Congressional ActionsH.R. 3762]

2015: Heller Effectively Voted To Repeal The Affordable Care Act. In July 2015, Heller effectively voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. According to Congressional Quarterly, the vote was on a “Motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on [the amendment] […] that would repeal the 2010 health care law.” The underlying bill was a three-year highway funding bill. The vote was on a motion to invoke cloture. The Senate rejected the motion 49 to 43; 60 Senators voting yes would have been required to invoke cloture. [Senate Vote 253, 7/26/15; Congressional Quarterly, 7/26/15; The Hill, 7/26/15; Congressional Actions, S. 2328; Congressional Actions, S. Amdt. 2327; Congressional Actions, S. Amdt. 2266; Congressional Actions, H.R. 22]

2015: Heller Voted To Repeal The Affordable Care Act, As Part Of The FY 2016 Conference Report Budget Resolution. In May 2015, Heller voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act as part of the FY 2016 Conference Report budget resolution. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Adoption of the conference report on the concurrent resolution that would reduce spending by $5.3 trillion over the next 10 years, including $2 trillion in reductions from repeal of the 2010 health care overhaul.” The vote was on the Conference Report; the Conference Report, which also passed the House, was passed by a vote of 51 to 48. [Senate Vote 171, 5/5/15; Congressional Quarterly, 5/5/15; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 11]

  • Budget Includes Reconciliation Language To Repeal The Affordable Care Act. According to Congressional Quarterly, “The budget contains reconciliation instructions directing the committees with jurisdiction over taxes and health care to draw up legislation to repeal the health care law and deliver their recommendations to the Budget committees by July 24.” [Congressional Quarterly, 5/5/15]
2015: Heller Voted To Repeal The Affordable Care Act, As Part Of The Senate’s FY 2016 Budget Resolution. In March 2015, Heller voted for the Senate’s FY 2016 budget resolution, which, according to the Senate Budget Committee, included provisions that “provide for the repeal of Obamacare and support legislation to replace Obamacare with reserve funds for legislation that strengthens the doctor-patient relationship, expands choice, and lowers health care costs.” The Senate adopted the budget resolution by a vote of 52 to 46. A final budget resolution included the policy. [Senate Vote 135, 3/27/15; Senate Budget Committee, 3/18/15; Congressional Quarterly, 4/30/15; S. Con. Res. 11, 4/7/15; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 11]
  • Budget Permitted Use Of Reconciliation Procedures To Repeal The ACA, Which Would Prevent Senate Democrats From Filibustering The Repeal Bill. According to Politico, “Senate Republicans want to use a powerful budget maneuver known as reconciliation to go after President Barack Obama’s health care law — particularly if the Supreme Court strikes down key provisions of Obamacare this June. Using the fast-tracking procedure offers some advantage for Republicans, largely because a reconciliation package can’t be filibustered. […] The plans were included in a budget blueprint rolled out Wednesday by the Senate Budget Committee — a governing document that calls for balancing the budget within a decade, extracting hundreds of billions in savings from Medicare and turning over more responsibility to the states to run Medicaid, reducing costs even further.” [Politico, 3/18/15]
2013: Heller Voted To Repeal The Affordable Care Act And The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. In March 2013, Heller voted for an amendment that, according to Huffington Post, “sought to ‘establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund to provide for the repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.’” The amendment was to the Senate Budget for FY 2014. The vote was on the amendment, which the Senate rejected by a vote of 45 to 54. [Senate Vote 51, 3/22/13; Huffington Post, 3/22/13; Congressional Actions, S. Amdt. 202; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 8]

2013: Heller Voted To Block Implementation And Enforcement Of The Affordable Care Act. In March 2013, Heller voted for an amendment to a bill funding the federal government through the end of fiscal year 2013, that, according to the Congressional Record,  would have required that “[n]one of the funds made available in this Act may be used (1) to carry out any provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act […] or title I or subtitle B of title II of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 […], or the amendments made by such Act, title, or subtitle; or (2) for rulemaking under such Act, title, or subtitle.” The Senate rejected the amendment by a vote of 45 to 52. [Senate Vote 34, 3/13/13; Congressional Record, 3/13/13; Congressional Actions, S. Amdt. 30; Congressional Actions, S. Amdt. 26; Congressional Actions, H.R. 933]

  • Sen. Cruz Offered The Amendment “To Advance Economic Growth And To Delay Funding For Obamacare Until There Is Economic Growth.” According to The Hill’s Floor Action Blog, “Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) offered the first amendment to the continued spending resolution that funds the government through the fiscal year. Cruz said his amendment would prohibit funding for the Affordable Care Act until the economy is growing at the ‘historic’ level of at least 3-4 percent. ‘The purpose of this amendment is to advance economic growth and to delay funding for ObamaCare until there is economic growth,’ Cruz said Wednesday. ‘At a minimum, ObamaCare should not be funded when our economy is gasping for breath.’” [The Hill’s Floor Action Blog, 3/13/13]
  • Opponents Of The Amendment Argued That It “Is Equivalent To Repeal” Of Health Care Reform. According to The Hill’s Floor Action Blog, “Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) said the amendment ‘is equivalent to repeal,’ when speaking against Cruz’s amendment. ‘This is the 34th time that someone on the Republican side has tried to do away with the Affordable Care Act and it’s failed every time,’ Harkin said. ‘We’ve already made our decisions on that and we’re moving on. ‘It’s almost like there is an obsession with some people on the other side of the aisle with tearing down health reform.’” [The Hill’s Floor Action Blog, 3/13/13]
2011: Heller Voted For A Republican Jobs Proposal Known As The “Jobs Through Growth Act” That Included A Provision To Repeal The Affordable Care Act. In November 2011, Heller voted for an amendment that would have put in place a number of Republican policy priorities. According to The Hill, “The ‘Jobs Through Growth Act,’ penned by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) […] included a Sense of the Congress that a balanced budget to the Constitution is needed, a provision to make it easier for the government to rescind unspent funds and a reduction in taxes for individuals and companies. It also would have repealed last year’s healthcare law and the Dodd-Frank financial reform law.” The amendment was a second-degree amendment to a bill to end the withholding requirement for payments to government contractors. The Senate rejected the amendment by a vote of 40 to 56. [Senate Vote 202, 11/10/11; The Hill, 11/10/11; Congressional Actions, S. Amdt. 928; Congressional Actions, S. Amdt. 927; Congressional Actions, H.R. 674]

2011: Heller Voted To Consider Sen. Pat Toomey’s FY 2012 Budget, Which Repealed The Affordable Care Act. In May 2011, Heller voted to consider repealing the Affordable Care Act, as part of Sen. Pat Toomey’s (R-PA) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2012 to 2021. According to a press release from Sen. Toomey, the budget contained a provision that “Repeals Obamacare.” The vote was on a motion to proceed to consider the resolution; the motion failed by a vote of 42 to 55. [Senate Vote 79, 5/25/11; Office of Senator Pat Toomey, 5/10/11; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 21]

2011: Heller Effectively Voted For FY 2012 Ryan Budget, Which Would Have Repealed The Affordable Care Act. In May 2011, Heller effectively voted for repealing the Affordable Care Act, as part of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2012 to 2021. According to the House Budget Committee, the budget would “repeal the government takeover of healthcare.” The vote was on a motion to proceed to consider the House-passed budget resolution, which the Senate rejected by a vote of 40 to 57. [Senate Vote 77, 5/25/11; House Budget Committee, 4/5/11; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 34]

2011: Heller Voted For FY 2012 Ryan Budget, Which Would Have Repealed The Affordable Care Act. In April 2011, Heller voted for repealing the Affordable Care Act, as part of  House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2012 to 2021. According to the House Budget Committee, the budget would “repeal the government takeover of healthcare.” The vote was on passage; the resolution passed by a vote of 235 to 193. [House Vote 277, 4/15/11; House Budget Committee, 4/5/11; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 34]

2011: Heller Voted To Repeal The Affordable Care Act. In April 2011, Heller voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act as part of the Democrats’ proposed budget resolution covering FY 2012 to 2021. According the text of the budget resolution, “It is the policy of the House that the law of the land should support making affordable health care coverage available to every American family, and therefore the Affordable Care Act should not be repealed.” The vote was on an amendment to the House budget resolution replacing the entire budget with the House Democrats’ proposed budget; the amendment failed by a vote of 166 to 259. [House Vote 276, 4/15/11; Congressional Record, 4/15/11; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 259; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 34]

2011: Heller Voted To Prohibit Funds From An Appropriations Bill From Being Used For The Affordable Care Act. In April 2011, Heller voted for a resolution that, according to Congressional Quarterly, “would [have] direct[ed] the House clerk to make a correction in the enrollment of a bill (HR 1473) to provide $1.055 trillion in discretionary funding for fiscal 2011, and insert a section that would [have] bar[red] the use of funds made available in the bill to carry out the provisions of the 2010 health care overhaul law.” The House agreed to the resolution by a vote of 240 to 185. The Senate disagreed with the resolution and no further action was taken. [House Vote 270, 4/14/11; Congressional Quarterly, 4/14/11; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 35]

2011: Heller Voted To Block The Implementation Of The Affordable Care Act. In February 2011, Heller voted for a bill that would have, blocked implementation of the Affordable Care Act. According to the Tulsa World, the bill contained an amendment to H.R. 1 that was “sponsored by Rep. Dennis Rehberg, R-Mont., to the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act. The amendment would bar spending on efforts to implement the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or title I or subtitle B of title II of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act. The House passed the bill by a vote of 235 to 189. The Senate extensively amended the legislation and passed the bill, but it was not taken up again by the House. The final version of the fiscal year 2011 funding bill stripped the rider that defunded the Affordable Care Act. According to Roll Call, “Democratic aides argued the Senate Democrats’ unity is a sign of just how successful the Nevada Democrat was in negotiating for his Conference’s priorities and said it will help him with the debt limit. The final deal stripped the most significant riders, such as defunding the health care law, and protected Democratic spending priorities, including health care research and Head Start.” [House Vote 147, 2/19/11; Tulsa World, 2/27/11; Roll Call, 4/18/11; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]

2011: Heller Voted To Defund The Affordable Care Act. In February 2011, Heller voted for an amendment that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “prohibit[ed] the use of funds made available by the bill to pay the salary of any officer or employee of any federal department or agency with respect to carrying out the provisions of the 2010 health care overhaul and reconciliation laws, or any amendment made by those law.” The underlying bill pertained to continuing appropriations for FY 2011. The vote was on adopting the amendment; the House adopted the amendment by a vote of 237 to 191. The House passed the underlying bill and the Senate amended the bill, but it was not taken up by the House again. [House Vote 99, 2/18/11; Congressional Quarterly, 2/18/11; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 105; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]

2011: Heller Voted To Bar The Use Of Funds To Implement The Affordable Care Act. In February 2011, Heller voted for an amendment that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “bar[red] the use of funds made available by the bill to carry out the provisions of the 2010 health care overhaul and reconciliation laws, or any amendment made by those laws.”  The underlying bill pertained to continuing appropriations for FY 2011. The vote was on adopting the amendment; the House passed the amendment by a vote of 241 to 187.  The House passed the underlying bill and the Senate amended the bill, but it was not taken up by the House again. [House Vote 98, 2/18/11; Congressional Quarterly, 2/18/11; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 104; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]

2011: Heller Effectively Voted To Defund The Affordable Care Act. In February 2011, Heller voted for an amendment that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “prohibit[ed] the payment of any funds made available by the bill to any employee, officer, contractor or grantee of any department or agency funded by the Labor-HHS-Education portion of the measure to implement the 2010 health care overhaul law.”  The underlying bill pertained to continuing appropriations for FY 2011. The vote was on adopting the amendment; the House passed the amendment by a vote of 239 to 187. The House passed the underlying bill and the Senate amended the bill, but it was not taken up by the House again. [House Vote 97, 2/18/11; Congressional Quarterly, 2/18/11; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 102; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]

2011: Heller Voted To Repeal The Affordable Care Act. In January 2011, Heller voted for a bill that, according to Congressional Quarterly, “would [have] repeal[ed] the 2010 health care overhaul law, which requires most individuals to buy health insurance by 2014, makes changes to government health care programs and sets new requirements for health insurers. The bill would restore the provisions of law amended or repealed by the health care overhaul, and repeal certain provisions of the health care reconciliation law.” The House passed the bill by a vote of 245 to 189; however, the Senate did not take any action on it. [House Vote 14, 1/19/11; Congressional Quarterly, 1/19/11; Congressional Actions, H.R. 2]

Heller’s Anti-Nevada Record: Voting To Fund A Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Site

HELLER CITED FUNDING FOR YUCCA MOUNTAIN NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES AS ONE OF THE REASONS TRUMP’S BUDGET WAS ANTI-NEVADA…

Heller Opposed Trump’s Budget As “Anti-Nevada” And Specifically Cited His Concerns “About The Budget’s $800 Billion In Cuts To Medicaid.” According to a press release from the Office of Sen. Heller, “U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) today criticized the President’s budget request to Congress as ‘anti-Nevada’ for its inclusion of $120 million in funding for the Department of Energy (DOE) to restart licensing activities for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository as well as its proposed cuts to important public land programs in Nevada, the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program and the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act’s (SNPLMA) program. Additionally, Heller is concerned about the budget’s $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid and its impact on Nevada’s budget and the more than 200,000 Nevadans who now have health care because of Nevada’s decision to expand Medicaid.” [Office of Sen. Heller, 5/23/17]

…BUT HELLER PREVIOUSLY WENT ALONG WITH HIS PARTY TO VOTE FOR A GOP SPENDING BILL THAT FUNDED A NUCLEAR WASTE SITE AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN AFTER HE FAILED TO REMOVE THE PROVISION

Heller Tried, And Failed, To Remove The Yucca Language From The Bill…

Las Vegas Sun: Heller “Supported H.R. 1” While His Attempt To Remove Yucca Funding From The Bill “Failed.”
According to Las Vegas Sun, “Nevada Republican Rep. Dean Heller, who supported H.R. 1, tried to remove the Yucca rider from the bill by amendment before it passed. His attempt failed.” [Las Vegas Sun, 8/16/11]

After Failures Of Republican Spending Bill H.R. 1, Reid Said “Yucca Mountain Is Dead.” According to Las Vegas Sun, “‘Yucca Mountain is dead,’ said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who was the chief negotiator for Democrats. ‘And I think it’s time for opponents to move on.’ Yucca Mountain, which hasn’t received funding under any federal budget that’s been passed since Obama came to office, came back on the agenda this past winter, when Republican House leaders included funding and a directive about the projected nuclear waste storage site in their budget bill, H.R. 1. That bill, which passed the House but failed in the Senate, would have made it illegal to use federal funds to derail ongoing activities at Yucca, including the siting process, now mired in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s approvals process. Effectively, it would have kept the site open. ‘H.R. 1’s history, man,’ Reid said Mondaywhen asked if he was at all concerned that it might still be funded.” [Las Vegas Sun, 8/16/11]

  • Headline: “Despite House GOP Push, Harry Reid Declares ‘Yucca Is Dead’” [Las Vegas Sun, 4/12/11]

…And Then Voted For It Anyway Despite Its Funding For Yucca…

Heller Voted For $57.5 Billion In Budget Cuts For FY 2011. In March 2011, Heller voted for a bill that, according to Congressional Quarterly Today, “would cut about $57.5 billion out of the current budget” to fund the federal government until the end of FY 2011. The bill was rejected by the Senate by a vote of 44 to 56. The bill number was later used as the vehicle for another piece of legislation. [Senate Vote 36, 3/9/11; Congressional Quarterly Today, 3/9/11; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]
  • Las Vegas Sun: H.R. 1 Funded A Nuclear Waste Site At Yucca Mountain And “Would Have Made It Illegal To Use Federal Funds To Derail Ongoing Activities” There, Effectively Keeping The Site Open. According to Las Vegas Sun, “Yucca Mountain, which hasn’t received funding under any federal budget that’s been passed since Obama came to office, came back on the agenda this past winter, when Republican House leaders included funding and a directive about the projected nuclear waste storage site in their budget bill, H.R. 1. That bill, which passed the House but failed in the Senate, would have made it illegal to use federal funds to derail ongoing activities at Yucca, including the siting process, now mired in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s approvals process. Effectively, it would have kept the site open.” [Las Vegas Sun, 4/12/11
  • H.R. 1 Stripped Funding From Renewable Energy Load Guarantee Programs That Have Backed Some Of Nevada’s Largest Projects; Preserved Funding For Yucca Mountain. In April 2011, the Las Vegas Sun reported that H.R.1, which Heller supported, “sought to strip federal funding from the renewable energy loan guarantee programs that have gone to back some of Nevada’s largest-scale projects, such as the SolarReserve plant at Tonopah, while preserving it for Yucca.” [Las Vegas Sun4/27/11]

Published: May 25, 2017

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