NASHVILLE — Upset Tea Party activists responded with boos and shouts of “No!” after a House panel delayed final action on a bill to challenge federal health care reform.
The move came after the Tennessee Health Freedom Act’s sponsor, Rep. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, changed his bill Wednesday to make it reflect the recently passed Senate version. Then, with Rep. Bell’s approval, the measure was delayed for a week, which is the custom on amended bills, lawmakers sought to explain.
PDF: House Bill 2900
“We are not doing anything that’s not done every week in this committee,” Rep. Bell said while addressing the House Industrial Impact Subcommittee.
The bill now says Tennesseans can ignore federal mandates to obtain health insurance and also directs Attorney General Bob Cooper to oppose federal efforts to enforce the mandates in court.
Not everyone was satisfied with Rep. Bell’s explanation about the delay.
“I’m disgusted,” said conservative activist and 4th Congressional District Republican candidate Ron Harwell, of Rockwood, Tenn. “I understand the process, but the process is getting to the point where it’s too slow.”
Ooltewah’s Shirley Patterson was disappointed but more low-key.
“I didn’t like the fact that they had to roll it over for a week,” said Ms. Patterson, one of at least eight Hamilton County residents who came up to Nashville on Wednesday. “We will be coming back, yes, definitely.”
As many as 100 activists, some wearing T-shirts reading “Don’t Tread on Tennessee,” thronged the legislative hallway outside the committee room and watched a television monitor showing Rep. Bell present the bill.
“Tennesseans do not want to participate in the new federal program,” Rep. Bell said. “This is an unprecedented move by the federal government to mandate individuals purchase a product. We’re not talking about another Medicare program where people pay a dedicated tax.”
Earlier in the day, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, and a GOP gubernatorial candidate, held a news conference with other GOP senators in which they called on the House to approve the Health Freedom Act, which already has passed the Senate.
Lt. Gov. Ramsey, the Senate speaker, said he also is urging Mr. Cooper, who formerly worked for Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen, to join with attorneys general, mostly Republicans, in a dozen or so other states in filing suit to block the federal law from taking effect.
He said the Obama administration is seeking to use the U.S. Constitution’s interstate commerce clause to require everyone buy insurance.
“People aren’t interstate commerce,” Lt. Gov. Ramsey said.
The federal health care law provides financial assistance to those who cannot afford insurance.
Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, said the Health Freedom Act has several problems, including directing the attorney general to file a lawsuit. That’s a decision the attorney general must make based on the law, Sen. Berke said.
“The attorney general has an ethical obligation as an attorney before he files any lawsuit as to whether he finds a reasonable basis for a lawsuit and can be sanctioned professionally if he files one without a legal basis,” said Sen. Berke, an attorney who was the Senate’s lone “no” vote on the Health Freedom bill.
Officials in Mr. Cooper’s office said he is reviewing the federal law and is mindful of lawmakers’ concerns.