From Congressman Michael McCaul
Healthcare Update
The Senate voted 60-39 Saturday to bring the Democrats latest version of the healthcare bill to the floor for debate. Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act taxes will increase by nearly $500 billion and Medicare will be cut by $460 billion.
The legislation would mandate all individuals purchase health insurance penalize employers who do not offer it and create a government-run insurance plan. The bill also includes federal funding of abortions. When fully implemented the plan will cost $2.5 trillion over 10 years. Debate begins after Thanksgiving.
U.S. 290 Funding
The Texas Transportation Commission approved $315 million to reconstruct Houstons 290/610 interchange. I testified before the Commission in Austin last Thursday the day of the vote. 290/610 is ranked 13th on the list of 100 most congested roadway segments in Texas. This is the first step in expanding 290 through Cypress.
Cyber Security Enhancement Act
Last Wednesday I joined a bipartisan coalition to pass H.R. 4061 through the Science and Technology Committee. This bill of which I am the lead Republican sponsor improves cybersecurity research and development and coordination between the federal government academia and private sector.
Further it gives the National Institute of Standards and Technology authority to develop guidelines federal agencies must meet to secure their own networks.
This legislation incorporates some of the key recommendations of a report that the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Congressman Langevin and I presented to President Obama earlier this year.
Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act
The House passed H.R. 3961 by a vote of 243-183. This bill will increase Medicare physician reimbursements in 2010 equal to the increase in medical inflation and replace the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) mechanism with the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) to calculate the Medicare payments to physicians.
In the past I have voted for the doc fix" and I am committed to ensuring our physicians are properly reimbursed for the services they provide. This payment formula is unquestionably in need of repair.
However like many other bills introduced this Congress H.R. 3961 fails to include any provisions to offset the $210 billion increase in federal spending in its first 10 years and is not a permanent fix. I am a cosponsor of H.R. 3693 the Ensuring the Future Physician Workforce Act that addresses the pitfalls and includes necessary offsets to pay for it.
Honoring Former Austin Mayor Roy Butler
It was such an honor to call Roy my friend. He Ann and Linda and I have spent many wonderful moments together.
He will always be remembered as Mayor Wonderful. He was the best public servant the City of Austin has ever had. We will miss him and his wonderful spirit. We always expected him to be around.
I always told him that he was like a father to me to which he would always reply Im too young to be your father. Indeed he was the youngest 83 year old Ive ever seen. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ann and the family.
I wish all of you a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday. Our nation has much for which to be thankful.
