And today, as Congress considered legislation to ease the burden of Obamacare’s failures on families who have lost their coverage due to failed co-ops – a problem that has affected tens of thousands of people in Arizona – Kirkpatrick was absent once again.
VOTE RESULTS: CO-OP CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT OF 2016
Kirkpatrick was already under fire for missing numerous votes recently, including yesterday, when she skipped out on casting a vote that would have helped prevent veteran suicides. An analysis by Roll Call found that Kirkpatrick had one of the worst attendance records of any member running for another office.
When pressed for an explanation, Kirkpatrick’s spokesman dodged the issue, claiming Kirkpatrick has been busy traveling across Arizona. But as any intrepid Kirkpatrick-watcher knows, her schedule has been virtually empty over the course of the campaign. Her absenteeism is in stark contrast to John McCain’s record. As Roll Call notes:
“McCain is also on the perfect attendance list."
So where is Ann Kirkpatrick? Why won’t she fulfill the duties of her taxpayer-funded job? And why would she bother asking Arizona voters to elect her to the Senate when she has shown so little interest in showing up to work and accounting for her mounting absences?
BACKGROUND
Kirkpatrick Missed The Vote To Pass The CO-OP Consumer Protection Act Of 2016. “To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt from the individual mandate certain individuals who had coverage under a terminated qualified health plan funded through the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) program.” (H.R. 954, CQ Vote #563: Passed 258 – 165, 9/27/16, Kirkpatrick Missed Vote)
The CO-OP Consumer Protection Act Of 2016 Helps Americans Who Have Been Harmed By Obamacare’s Failing CO-Ops. “Today, the Ways and Means Committee approved the CO-OP Consumer Protection Act of 2016 (H.R. 954), legislation to help Americans who have been harmed by Obamacare’s closing CO-OPs. Sponsored by Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), the bill exempts from the law’s individual mandate tax penalty those who unexpectedly lost their health insurance—through no fault of their own, but because of a particular Obamacare failure.” (Committee On Ways And Means, U.S. House Of Representatives, 9/8/16)
In 2015, 60,000 Policies Were Cancelled After Arizona’s Health Insurance Co-Op Failed
In November 2015, Arizona’s Health Insurance Co-Op Created By ObamaCare Collapsed, Forcing The Cancellation Of Nearly 60,000 Insurance Policies. “A nonprofit health insurance co-op created to provide competition to traditional insurance companies in Arizona has been removed from the federal marketplace, just days before a new enrollment period begins Sunday… Meritus will fulfill individual and group health insurance plans through the end of the year. But roughly 59,000 Arizonans covered by Meritus will now have to scramble to find new coverage, according to the state.” (“Arizona Health Insurance Co-Op Taken Out Of Marketplace,” Associated Press, 11/1/15)