Welch and Shuster join small business owners calling for credit and debit card fairness

Congressman Bill Shuster joined Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and a group of convenience store owners Tuesday morning as they delivered two million signatures from customers urging Congress to put an end to unfair credit and debit card swipe fees.

At a Capitol Hill press conference, Welch and Bill Shuster called on their fellow lawmakers to support legislation they wrote, the Credit Card Interchange Fees Act (H.R. 2382), which would help level the playing field between consumers, small businesses and credit card companies by requiring greater transparency and prohibiting unfair and abusive practices. The two million new signatures add to 1.7 million signatures delivered by store owners to Congress last September.

Welch also announced during the event that he will be introducing legislation requiring debit card payments to be processed in the same manner as paper checks, resulting in lower fees for merchants. Though debit cards function as the electronic equivalent of checks, debit card issuers charge egregious fees, while checks clear at a nominal rate.

“Today two million Americans added their voices to the chorus calling for fairness for the small businesses that drive our economy. Two million more Americans are recognizing that swipe fees kill good-paying, local jobs and drive up costs for consumers. Two million more Americans are saying ‘enough is enough,’” said Rep. Welch. “We must take action to rein in the abusive practices of the credit card industry and ensure that small businesses get a fair deal.”

American consumers and merchants pay $48 billion each year in hidden credit and debit card fees – more than twice those charged in countries like the United Kingdom and Australia.

“As a former small business owner, I know how hard it is to make a payroll, pay taxes and fees and try to make a profit all at the same time,” Shuster said. “For far too long, Interchange Fees have been an unnecessary impediment for businesses and that needs to change. It is my hope Congress will consider the merits of our bill, as well as the serious struggle of business owners and consumers alike in their need for transparency, simplicity, and fairness when it comes to the issue of Interchange Fees.

Shuster Announces 2010 Congressional Art Competition Entires

Congressman Bill Shuster is pleased to announce that the student entries for the 2010 Congressional Art Competition are now on display to the public at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort.

The work of seven local art students will be shown at the Bedford Springs Resort until May 4th. The entries submitted for the competition are as follows:

•“Windmills of Somerset County” by Julie Day, Berlin Brothersvalley H.S., Somerset, County

•“Chimney Rocks” by Sarah McCormick, Blair County Christian School, Blair County

•“Yesterday’s Tomorrow” by Desiree Cavalancia, Indiana Area Sr. H.S., Indiana, County

•“Rails to the Future” by Ashley Garner, Central H.S., Blair County

•“Memories of the S1 Engine” by Bryan Housley, Altoona Area H.S., Blair County

•“I Pledge Allegiance” by Melissa McCray, Greencastle Antrim H.S., Franklin County

•“A Scenic View of the Juniata” by Zachary Slaughter, Juniata Valley H.S., Huntingdon County.

One winner will be selected from this group to represent the 9th district in Washington, DC in June and the winning entry will be showcased in the Capitol Complex for a year.

Shuster meets students from Marion Center High School

Congressman Shuster meets Honors Government students from Marion Center High School. These students recently won the "We the People" Constitution Competition for Pennsylvania This is the first championship for Marion Center in the history of the school's participation in the competition. To mark their effort, Congressman Shuster entered the following extension of remarks into the Congressional Record:

Rep. Bill Shuster

Extension of Remarks

April 15, 2010

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of the Honors Government class of Marion Center High School, which took first place at the “We the People” Pennsylvania state competition at Valley Forge.

The “We the People” competition measures students’ knowledge and understanding of the Constitution, and Marion Center’s Honors Government class proved well-acquainted with our principles of government. The following students: Emilie Borst, Tori Buzzelli, Toni Corosu, Alycia Frampton, Jed Gallo, Cody Miller, Brandon Snickles, Nick Stanisha, Jozzie Stuchell and Sarah Wolfe have all demonstrated their thorough understanding of the supreme law of our land. These young men and women, as well as their teacher Chris Peters, should be commended on this impressive accomplishment.

Preserving our nation’s unique character requires an understanding of our Constitution that these students have so ably displayed. Their dedication to this important responsibility of citizenship is outstanding. I congratulate Marion Center High School’s Honors Government class on its feat of civic knowledge and academic excellence, and I trust that these promising young citizens will continue to excel in their endeavors.

Obama’s Chief Actuary Says 50% of Seniors Will Lose Their Medicare Advantage Plans

From GOP Conference:

“If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor. Period. If you like your health care plan, you will be able to keep your health care plan. Period. No one will take it away. No matter what.”

President Obama, June 15, 2009

Despite President Obama’s pledge that all Americans would be able to keep their health insurance plans, the chief actuary of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) concluded that under ObamaCare, half of all seniors who have Medicare Advantage plans will lose their coverage.

In a new analysis of ObamaCare, CMS concluded:

“We estimate that in 2017, when the MA provisions will be fully phased in, enrollment in MA plans will be lower by about 50 percent (from its projected level of 14.8 million under the prior law to 7.4 million under the new law).” Page 11

For previous ObamaCare Flatlines, go to http://www.gop.gov/obamacare

ObamaCare: CMS Confirms Health Care Spending Will Increase

Via the House Republican Conference's Press Shop:

“And it [the health reform plan] will slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses, and our government.” President Obama, September 10, 2009

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new analysis of ObamaCare, confirming that our nation’s health care costs will increase rather than decrease under ObamaCare and violating a pledge President Obama made to the nation on September 10, 2009. CMS concluded:

• National health care expenditures will increase by $311 billion.
• Health care increases to 21% of GDP by 2019.
• ObamaCare spends more than $828 billion for health care coverage. (CMS didn’t analyze all the tax increases, such as HSAs, FSAs, increasing the AGI threshold, etc.)
• The government will spend $410 billion to expand Medicaid.
• Medicaid enrollment increases by 20 million new beneficiaries.
• 18 million people will be uninsured (excluding 5 million illegal immigrants).
• Uninsured and those employers who don’t offer coverage will pay $120 billion in taxes.
• 50% of seniors will lose their Medicare Advantage plans.
• Some of the Medicare cost-control mechanisms may not be sustainable.
• Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) will run a deficit in 15 years.
• The $5 billion for High Risk Pools is not enough.
• Doctors may drop out of Medicare because of the changes in Medicare reimbursement rates.
• Medicare “savings” may be difficult to achieve.

For previous ObamaCare Flatlines, go to http://www.gop.gov

Shuster on Hazmat Transport

ObamaCare Fails Test

Via GOP Conference: For previous ObamaCare Flatlines, see http://www.gop.gov/obamacare

“If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor. Period. If you like your health care plan, you will be able to keep your health care plan. Period. No one will take it away. No matter what.”

- President Obama, June 15, 2009

Well, not really.

According to this story, 45,000 Hoosiers will be forced to drop their current, private coverage and will be dumped on Medicaid.

ObamaCare expands Medicaid eligibility to 133 percent of federal poverty line. Indiana created a private health insurance plan for the workers whose income was below 200 percent of federal poverty level. The innovative program combined an account with an insurance policy, and one satisfied customer is concerned Medicaid won’t be as “flexible” as her current plan.

Ways and Means GOP: Democrats Finally Admit Premiums to Rise Under Government Takeover of Health Care