Heritage Action for America, the Heritage Foundation’s grassroots advocacy spin-off, is urging congressional leaders to sign on to Iowa Rep. Steve King’s discharge petition, aimed at repealing Obamacare.
Since its filing on June 16, 130 representatives have signed the document which, if a majority of members support, would force House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to bring King’s health-care repeal bill, H.R. 4972 “To repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” to the floor for an up-or-down vote. Given that those who sign the petition will almost certainly vote for King’s bill, if 218 approve the petition, Obamacare will be on its way to repeal.
In a sign that the motion is gaining traction, Heritage Action released a letter this week, signed by leaders from 74 grassroots organizations, urging members of Congress to sign King’s petition.
Michael A. Needham, Heritage Action’s chief executive, told The Daily Caller that the public may hear more about the petition come election time, when candidates will have to go on the record as being for or against Obamacare.
“In New York, for example, Republican House candidates have already called upon Congressman Michael McMahon to sign and get him on the record,” he said, referring to congressional hopefuls Michael Allegretti and Michael Grimm’s challenge to the Democrat incumbent — who voted against the initial health-care reform bill — to actively work to repeal Obamacare.
McMahon has refused.
“With repeal efforts gaining momentum, we will see more of this as we get closer to November,” said Needham.
King told TheDC that his discharge petition will separate the “boys from the men.”
“My thought process was, first we need to repeal it,” King said. “The second question is, how do you actually get this repealed in an environment where the Democrats have a huge majority and a president who would veto? Well the discharge petition is the only way we could even get a vote and then we will see if the 34 Democrats who voted against Obamacare were really against it or just doing so for political expediency.”
“In 2012 I suspect we will elect in a Republican whose first order of business will be to repeal Obamacare,” he said. “In January 2013 Congress will convene and between the 3rd and the 20th, I’d like to see the House and the Senate vote to repeal it. And then, when we swear the new president in on the West Portico of the Capitol, I want him to take the oath of office with a pen in hand and before he even shakes hands with the chief justice I want that new president to sign the repeal of Obamacare.”
Coalition Letter In Support of King Discharge Petition to Repeal ObamaCare
Dear Congressman:
On behalf of the millions of members that we, the undersigned, organizations represent we request that you sign Discharge Petition #11 to allow a vote on the House floor on the repeal of ObamaCare. The American people rejected ObamaCare while it was being debated before Congress and have continued to reject it after it became law. It limits choice, increases the deficit, raises health care costs, expands government bureaucracy, discriminates against low-income workers, mandates insurance coverage and stunts economic growth.
Because this law fails to live up to the principles of true health care reform we, the undersigned, think this legislation has to be repealed immediately. However, with a repeal bill unlikely to come to the House floor this year we urge you to sign on to the next best thing, discharge petition #11. As you know if this discharge petition is signed by 218 of your colleagues then Speaker Pelosi would be forced to bring H.R. 4972 to the House floor for an up or down vote on repealing ObamaCare.
Since Speaker Pelosi exercises near total control over which bills are voted upon in the House of Representatives a discharge petition allows an oppressed political majority to bypass the Speaker’s clenched fist. It also provides concerned citizens and grassroots groups a single legislative target on which to focus their attention.
Americans are growing increasingly concerned as the consequences of ObamaCare become reality and they want a clear indicator their leaders believe in repeal. Signing the discharge petition offers them that commitment. We urge you to join this effort for repeal.
Sincerely,
Mike Needham, President, Heritage Action for America
Jim Martin, Chairman, 60 Plus Association
Susan Carleson, Chairman/CEO, American Civil Rights Union
William H. Shaker, President, American Council for Health Care Reform
Donald E. Wildmon, Founder, American Family Association
Mark Fitzgibbons, President of Corporate/Legal Affairs, American Target Advertising, Inc.
Gary Bauer, President, American Values
Bill Wilson, President, Americans for Limited Government
Tim Phillips, President, Americans for Prosperity
Elaine Donnelly, President, Center for Military Readiness
Star Parker, President, Center on Urban Renewal and Education
Jim Backlin, Vice President for Legislative Affairs, Christian Coalition
Tom Minnery, Senior Vice President of Gov’t and Public Policy, CitizenLink
Chris Chocola, President, Club for Growth
Gary Aldrich, Chairman, CNP Action Inc.
Kay Daly, President/Executive Director, Coalition for a Fair Judiciary
Curt Levey, Executive Director, Committee for Justice
Fred L. Smith, Jr., President, Competitive Enterprise Institute
Penny Nance, CEO, Concerned Women for America
Richard A. Viguerie, Chairman, ConservativeHQ.com
Brent Bozell, President, Conservative Victory Committee
Ron Pearson, President, Council for America
Tom Schatz, President, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW)
Phyllis Schlafly, President & Founder, Eagle Forum
Virginia Armstrong, Ph.D., National Chairman,Eagle Forum’s Court Watch
Ralph Reed, Founder and Chairman, Faith & Freedom Coalition
Tom McClusky, Sr. Vice President, Family Research Council Action
Billie Tucker, Co-founder, First Coast Tea Party
Myron Ebell, President, Freedom Action
Matt Kibbe, President, FreedomWorks
Larry Pratt, Executive Director, Gun Owners of America
Heather R. Higgins, President and CEO, Independent Women’s Voice
Phillip Jauregui, President, Judicial Action Group
Colin Hanna, President, Let Freedom Ring
Mandi Campbell, Legal Director, Liberty Center for Law and Policy
Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, President and CEO, Liberty Central
Mathew Staver,Founder and Chairman, Liberty Counsel
Tom Glessner, President, National Institute of Family and Life Advocates
Darla St. Martin, Co-Director, National Right to Life
Lew Uhler, President, National Tax Limitation Committee
Duane Parde, President, National Taxpayers Union
William J. Murray, Chairman, Religious Freedom Coalition
Stephen Stone, President, Renew America
Noah Silverman, Congressional Affairs Director, Republican Jewish Coalition
Lisa Miller, Founder, Tea Party WDC
C. Preston Noell III, President, Tradition, Family, Property, Inc
Andrea Lafferty, Executive Director, Traditional Values Coalition
Kevin L. Kearns, President, US Business and Industry Council
Mike Valerio, Valerio Foundation
Jordan Marks, Executive Director, Young Americans for Freedom
Eunie Smith, President, Alabama Eagle Forum
Jayne and Jim Schindler, Directors, Colorado Eagle Forum
Linda Schauer, State Director, Concerned Women for America of South Dakota
Phyllis Nemeth, State Director, CWA of California
Patricia J. Thompson, Director, CWA of Central California
Penny Morrell, Area Director, CWA of Maine
State Bev Ehlen, State Director, CWA of Missouri
Andrew Dunn, State President, Eagle Forum North Carolina
Dottie Feder, President, Joan Tatarsky, Vice President, Eagle Forum of Wisconsin
Gayle Gardner, President, Hawaii Eagle Forum
Richard W. C. Falknor, Chairman, Maryland Center-Right Coalition
Dee Hodges, Chairman, Maryland Taxpayers Association
Eddie Myrtle Moore, President, Mississippi Eagle Forum
Joan Langenberg, President, Missouri Eagle Forum
Janine Hansen, State President, Nevada Eagle Forum
Carolee Adams, President, New Jersey Eagle Forum
Larry Cirignano, President, NJ Faith and Freedom
Bunny Chambers, President, Oklahoma Eagle Forum
Frances Bevan, Director, SW Pennsylvania Eagle Forum
Yvonne M. Alford, President, Tampa Bay Eagle Forum
Gayle Ruzicka, President, Utah Eagle Forum
Linda Chagnon, President, Vermont Eagle Forum
Helen Blackwell, Chairman, Virginia Eagle Forum
Cindy Honcoop, State Director, Washington Eagle Forum
