Protect Tricare

Floor Speech

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I'm extremely disappointed by the President's fiscal year 2013 budget proposal, which would dramatically increase health care costs for our Nation's veterans and military personnel. While I applaud the Pentagon's willingness to make tough choices, these changes are simply unacceptable.

The President's plan would hike annual TRICARE premiums by up to 78 percent in the first year alone. Every 5 years, beneficiaries would face premium hikes ranging from 94 percent to 345 percent--345 percent, Mr. Speaker. This means that a retired Army soldier with a family could see his annual premiums jump from $460 to $2,048. This is disgraceful.

It's wrong to impose crippling rate increases on our Nation's heroes while leaving benefits for unionized civilian defense workers untouched. It is wrong to surreptitiously dismantle TRICARE in an effort to funnel beneficiaries into ObamaCare's subsidized health care exchanges. It is wrong, and it is shameful.

Mr. Speaker, I wear a pin every day that says I support veterans. Every American should be supporting veterans. It is the reason we are here and allowed to speak freely and the reason Americans are able to speak and go about their business every day doing what they do because of the sacrifices that have been made by those who have served.

In every generation, the men and women of America's Armed Forces have answered the call to service. They have sacrificed greatly, and they deserve better than this.

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