Republican Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana is determined to force his fellow senators to do something many don't want to do: Vote on whether the law, specifically Obamacare, applies to members of Congress and their staff.
Back in 2009, when Democrats were writing the massive new national health care scheme, Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley offered an amendment. Obamacare created exchanges through which millions of Americans would purchase "affordable" health coverage. Grassley's amendment simply required lawmakers, staff, and some in the executive branch to get their insurance through the exchanges, too.
To every Republican's amazement, Democrats accepted the amendment. So Obamacare now requires Congress to buy its health coverage through the exchanges.
That has caused Democratic panic as the formal arrival of Obamacare nears. Right now, all lawmakers and staff are entitled to enjoy generously-subsidized coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits plan. Why give up that subsidy and go on the exchanges like any average American?
So over the summer Democrats asked President Obama to simply create an Obamacare exception for Capitol Hill.
Not long after -- presto! -- the Office of Personnel Management unveiled a proposed rule to allow members of Congress, their staff, and some executive branch employees to continue receiving their generous federal subsidy even as they purchase coverage on the exchanges. No ordinary American would be allowed such an advantage.
Vitter watched the maneuvering and began work on what became the Vitter Amendment, which he likes to call "No Washington Exemption from Obamacare." It specifies that members of Congress, staff, the president, vice president and all the administration's political appointees buy health coverage through Obamacare exchanges. If any of them earn incomes low enough to qualify for regular Obamacare subsidies, they will receive them -- just like any other American. But those with higher incomes will have to pay for their coverage on the exchanges -- just like everybody else.
Vitter hasn't exactly thrilled his colleagues. "There has been a lot of pushback behind the scenes, including from many Republicans," he says. Political types have complained that the requirement will cause "brain drain" on the Hill as staffers escape the burden of paying for their own coverage. "My response is, first of all, it's the law," says Vitter. "Look, this is a disruption. It's exactly what's happening across America, to people who are going to the exchanges against their will. To me, that's the point."
Vitter is likely to succeed. If there's anything that drives voters crazy, it is Congress exempting itself from the miseries it imposes on the American public.
Someday, as Obamacare becomes a difficult reality in everyday life, Vitter will get his vote.
Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner.