Ritze, Dahm file nullification bills

Sen. Nathan Dahm and Rep. Mike Ritze plan to ensure the Legislature stands up for the rights of Oklahomans and remains committed to preventing the provisions of Obamacare from taking effect.

Dahm and Ritze have filed Senate Bill 203 and House Bill 1021, proposals which will nullify the provisions of Obamacare in Oklahoma.  Dahm said health care operates best as an enterprise, not as a birthright.

“Depriving citizens of the right to make their own choices about health care runs contrary to American ideals,” said Dahm, R-Broken Arrow.  “If we want a health care system that is innovative, efficient and controls costs, we need to allow the free market to work.  Health care is not a right, it is an enterprise, and it works best with fewer market distortions and the incentive to improve the services it offers customers.”

“Taking this enterprise and turning it into a government bureaucracy will remove the incentive for advancements in American health care, just as it has everywhere else this experiment has been tried.”

Ritze said the federal health care law is unwelcome in Oklahoma.

“Oklahomans have clearly indicated that they would prefer a different approach to health care than the federal law offers,” Ritze, R-Broken Arrow, said. “I think we have the tools to improve the health care system in Oklahoma without involvement from the federal government.”

Dahm noted Oklahomans broadly oppose a federal takeover of the health care industry, and that the Legislature must continue the fight against Obamacare.

“As elected officials, we must govern by Constitutional principles and Oklahoma values,” said Dahm, R-Broken Arrow.  “A Washington takeover of the health care industry robs citizens of the freedom to choose, violates our liberties, and will further strap the pocketbooks of our families and businesses.  The Oklahoma Legislature must continue to stand against this expansion of federal authority.”

Dahm said numerous examples support the conclusion that centrally-planned health care systems result in stagnant technological advancement and rationed services.

Further, the tax increases required to fund the plan will result in additional hardship for taxpayers already dealing with limited growth and high unemployment.

“Oklahomans deserve a government accountable to the people, not one that advances sweeping mandates through undemocratic procedure and judicial activism,” Dahm said.  “Obamacare will damage doctor-patient relationships, reduce the quality of care and raise our taxes.  If the Legislature does not oppose it at every turn, we are signing away the rights of Oklahomans.”