I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 537 

To require any communication using Federal funds to advertise or educate 

the public on certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable 

Care Act and the Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 

to state that such communication was produced at taxpayer expense, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 26, 2015 

Mr. WOMACK (for himself, Mr. CRAWFORD, Mr. HILL, Mr. WESTERMAN, Mr. 

JOLLY, Mr. LOUDERMILK, Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. BARR, Mr. 

BENISHEK, Mr. NUNNELEE, Mr. AMODEI, Mr. JOYCE, Mr. KELLY of 

Pennsylvania, Mr. MULVANEY, Mr. OLSON, Mr. FARENTHOLD, Mr. 

GROTHMAN, and Mr. RIBBLE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 

the Committees on Ways and Means and Education and the Workforce, 

for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 

for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 

committee concerned 

A BILL 

To require any communication using Federal funds to advertise or educate the public on certain provisions of the 

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the 

Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 

to state that such communication was produced at taxpayer expense, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 537 IH

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Truth in Obamacare 

3 Advertising Act of 2015’’. 

4 SEC. 2. REQUIREMENTS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS OF THE AF5 FORDABLE CARE ACT. 

6 (a) IDENTIFICATION OF COST TO TAXPAYERS.— 

7 Each communication that is federally funded, directly or 

8 indirectly, to advertise or educate the public on the provi9 sions described in subsection (c) or any programs, activi10 ties, requirements, or regulations established, funded, or 

11 authorized by such provisions, shall include a statement 

12 clearly indicating— 

13 (1) in the case of a printed communication, in14 cluding mailings, signs, and billboards, that the com15 munication is printed and published at taxpayer ex16 pense; or 

17 (2) in the case of a communication transmitted 

18 through radio, television, the Internet, or any means 

19 other than the means described in paragraph (1), 

20 that the communication is produced and dissemi21 nated at taxpayer expense. 

22 (b) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.— 

23 (1) PRINTED COMMUNICATION.—Any statement 

24 required under subsection (a)(1) for a printed com25 munication shall— 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 537 IH

1 (A) be of sufficient type size to be clearly 

2 readable by the viewer of the communication; 

3 (B) be contained in a printed box set apart 

4 from the other contents of the communication; 

5 and 

6 (C) be printed with a reasonable degree of 

7 color contrast between the background and the 

8 printed statement. 

9 (2) AUDIO, VIDEO, AND INTERNET COMMUNICA10 TION.— 

11 (A) REQUIREMENT FOR AUDIO AND VIDEO

12 COMMUNICATION.—Any statement required 

13 under subsection (a)(2) for an audio or video 

14 communication shall be conveyed in a clearly 

15 spoken manner. 

16 (B) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR

17 VIDEO COMMUNICATION.—In addition to the re18 quirement in subparagraph (A), any statement 

19 required under subsection (a)(2) for a video 

20 communication shall— 

21 (i) be conveyed by a voice-over or 

22 screen view of the person making the state23 ment; and 

24 (ii) appear in writing at the end of the 

25 communication in a clearly readable manVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:46 Jan 31, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H537.IH H537

SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 537 IH

1 ner with a reasonable degree of color con2 trast between the background and the 

3 printed statement, for a period of at least 

4 4 seconds. 

5 (C) REQUIREMENTS FOR E-MAIL COMMU6 NICATION.—Any statement required under sub7 section (a)(2) for an e-mail communication 

8 shall— 

9 (i) be of sufficient type size to be 

10 clearly readable by the recipient of the 

11 communication; 

12 (ii) be set apart from the other con13 tents of the communication; and 

14 (iii) be displayed with a reasonable de15 gree of color contrast between the back16 ground and the statement. 

17 (c) COVERED PROVISIONS.—The requirements in this 

18 section apply to the following provisions of Federal law: 

19 (1) Title I of the Patient Protection and Af20 fordable Care Act (Public Law 111–148), including 

21 any amendments made by such title. 

22 (2) Any provision of the Patient Protection and 

23 Affordable Care Act that amends title XIX of the 

24 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) or othVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:46 Jan 31, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H537.IH H537

SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 537 IH

1 erwise expands, provides funding for, or modifies the 

2 Medicaid program under such title. 

3 (3) Subtitles A, C, and E of title I and subtitle 

4 B of title II of the Health Care and Education Rec5 onciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–152), in6 cluding any amendments made by such provisions. 

Æ 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS