Juneau, Alaska – The Alaska House of Representatives Tuesday passed a resolution calling on the governor and the state’s congressional delegation to take actions necessary to delay implementation of the Affordable Care Act, President Obama’s massive re-write of our nation’s health care laws.

House Joint Resolution 14, sponsored by House Finance Committee Co-Chair Bill Stoltze, was filed to protect Alaskans from the onerous taxes and regulations contained in the law.

“The Affordable Care Act is taking years to implement, and will lead to federal government takeover of the health care industry, increasing costs, resulting in higher taxes, destroy jobs, and impair the ability of businesses to grow, compete, and create jobs in Alaska,” Stoltze, R-Mat-Su/Chugiak, said. “The goal isn’t to oppose congressional action; the goal is to do what the Congress failed to do: totally examine all the employer costs of how this will impact Alaskans and Alaska businesses.

The resolution highlights the drastic impacts the Act will have on Alaska, including increased demand for state spending, increases in insurance premiums, financial burdens on small businesses, and lost Alaskan jobs.

“Here we are a little more than three years after the Act was signed into law and we are still finding out what is in it,” Stoltze said. “Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously said we have to pass the bill so we can find out what is in it. Well, Alaskans – and all Americans – are finding out what is in it, and we don’t like what we’re finding.”

HJR 14, which passed by a vote of 23-13, now moves to the Alaska Senate for consideration.