from a release out of the office of U.S. Rep. Jeff Landry…

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Jeff Landry (Republican, New Iberia) formally declined Congressional health care and retirement, following through on a pledge that is sure to shake up Washington and energize efforts to repeal Obamacare.

“I submitted the necessary paperwork to decline the health care and retirement plans offered to Members of Congress,” Landry explained. “American taxpayers – burdened with near-record deficits – cannot afford to pay Members of Congress, who already receive $174,000 a year salary, an additional benefit.”

“Last March, the liberals in Congress passed a massive government-run health care law that will raise taxes, spend more than 900 billion taxpayer dollars in just 10 years, and place new mandates on American families and small businesses. Conveniently, this law calls for taxpayers to fund the health care plans offered to Members of Congress; this is wrong. Voters made it clear in November that such ‘business as usual’ must end,” said Landry.  

“The only way Congress will repeal Obamacare and fight for affordable health care is to have skin in the game. I hope my actions today will energize efforts to end government-run health care and promote common-sense solutions of purchasing insurance across state lines, allowing small businesses to pool their employees together to leverage purchasing power, and rewarding people that make healthy lifestyle choices,” concluded Landry.