Weekly Addresses - 3/26/11

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The Military Mission in Libya
The President says that thanks to our men and women in uniform, the military mission in Libya is succeeding even as responsibility is transferred to our NATO allies and partners.
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell Delivers Weekly GOP Address Health Care
In the Weekly Republican Address, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell marks the unfortunate one year anniversary of the passage of Democrats' unpopular health care bill and discusses the burdens it places on states. Gov. McDonnell says, "Unlike states, families, and businesses, the federal government doesn't have to balance its budget. And that unfortunate reality leads to policies like the federal health care bill that push expensive, unfunded, and unsustainable programs onto the rest of us. Washington passes the law, and then expects us to balance the books." He explains, "The law shifts billions in unfunded mandates onto state governments, and rigid new requirements restrict the governors' abilities to manage our state programs. The result: higher costs, less innovation and freedom. That's a prescription for serious problems at the state level, where much of this plan must be implemented. Most notably, the federal health care bill dramatically expands Medicaid, which was already growing at unsustainable rates." And, Gov. McDonnell adds, "The federal health care bill is not only a budget buster, it's also unconstitutional. Virginia, like the majority of states, is challenging this legislation in court. Already a federal District Court judge has ruled in our favor, concluding that the provision that a Virginia citizen must purchase insurance or face a penalty is unconstitutional.... The legal issues must be settled promptly by the [Supreme] Court to create certainty and finality for health care providers, businesses and all Americans. Shockingly, the Obama Administration opposes an expedited appeal to the Supreme Court, preferring the potential for years of costly litigation in the lower courts." He concludes, "We need policies that give greater freedom to citizens and employers and don't overly burden states and businesses. Policies that recognizes what history teaches well: and that is that the creative solutions of the free market beat one-size fits all plans of big government. Here in your state capitols, Republican Governors are leading the effort to cut government spending, keep taxes low, help the private sector create jobs, provide access to affordable health care and get our economy back on track by making our states more competitive. We are asking this Administration to join us in the effort."

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