A group of 41 freshman legislators from 27 states yesterday urged U.S. House speaker Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) to fast-track a vote on repealing the medical device tax this month.
The group, led by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) wants Boehner to call a vote on H.R. 160, Rep. Erik Paulsen’s "Protect Medical Innovation Act," according to the letter. 4 Democrats signed the missive.
"This legislation enjoys broad bipartisan support as members from both parties recognize the impact this has on our constituents, both in access to the healthcare devices they need, and in hundreds of thousands employed by the industry," Stefanik wrote. "Repealing the medical device tax is too important to our constituents and small businesses not to act immediately, and proves that we can come together with solutions."
The group wants Boehner to put a vote on Paulsen’s bill on the docket this month, before the U.S. Supreme Court rules on Obamacare. The medical device tax was enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act and puts a 2.3% levy on all U.S. sales of prescribed medical devices. H.R. 160 has 277 co-sponsors, including 36 Democrats.
Paulsen’s bill isn’t Capitol Hill’s 1st shot at repealing the medical device tax. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) is the sponsor of the Senate’s companion bill for repealing the medical device tax, S. 149 or the "Medical Device Access & Innovation Protection Act." The measure has 34 co-sponsors, including 5 Democrats.
And last week Sen. Ed Markey (D.-Mass) introduced S. 844, the "No Taxation on Device Innovation Act." Markey’s bill is unique in a couple of ways: It’s sponsored by a Democrat and includes a so-called "pay-for" to make up for the lost revenue. The bill had no co-sponsors as of this morning, but is likely to win favor with Senate Democrats, many of whom have said they favor repealing the tax but wouldn’t sign a bill that didn’t include a pay-for.
Here’s a look at the representatives who signed Stefanik’s letter:
- Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.)
- Rep. Ralph Abraham M.D. (R-La.)
- Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.)
- Rep. Brad Ashford (D-Neb.)
- Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas)
- Rep. Mike Bishop (R-Mich.)
- Rep. Rod Blum (R-Iowa)
- Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.)
- Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.)
- Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.)
- Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.)
- Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.)
- Rep. Ryan Costello (R-Pa.)
- Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.)
- Rep. Robert Dold (R-Ill.)
- Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.)
- Rep. Gwen Graham (D-Fla.)
- Rep. Frank Guinta (R-N.H.)
- Rep. Cresent Hardy (R-Nev.)
- Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.)
- Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.)
- Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas)
- Rep. Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.)
- Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.)
- Rep. Steve Knight (R-Calif.)
- Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.)
- Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah)
- Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.)
- Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.)
- Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.)
- Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.)
- Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.)
- Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.)
- Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R-Maine)
- Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas)
- Rep. David Rouzer (R-N.C.)
- Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.)
- Rep. Mimi Walters (R-Calif.)
- Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.)
- Rep. David Young (R-Iowa)
- Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.)
