Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington has introduced legislation that would prohibit the IRS from hiring new employees to enforce the individual health care mandate included in the 2010 health care law.

McMorris Rodgers, a Republican and vice chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, cited recent federal rulings finding that “the individual mandate is clearly unconstitutional, and the IRS – just like every government agency - has a duty to uphold the Constitution.”

“Our bill will protect the constitutional right of every American to decide what health care is best for themselves and their families, while also saving taxpayers about $10 billion by preventing yet another unnecessary increase in the number of government employees,”  she said in a press release today.

Added this morning: video of the president's remarks on Janine Vaughn. She's mentioned at 10:18 mark.

Spokane business owner Janine Vaughn hit the weekly-double this week, in terms of national press attention.

On Friday at a Washington, D.C., event, President Obama highlighted Vaughn's small Spokane business, Revival Lighting, and how last year's health care law has helped her stay in business and keep the business profitable.

Obama singled out Vaughn during a keynote address before a gathering of more than 1,000 health care advocates at a D.C. hotel.

Earlier this week and right after the president's state of the union address, Vaughn was singled out and received prominent mention in the White House blog. The White House blog comments are here.

She's singled out for having a businesswoman's positive view of the new health care law. The blog says: “Janine says that the Affordable Care Act has given her more peace of mind. Before it was signed into law in March 2010, she had to think hard about whether she was going to be able to even offer insurance to her employees in the future, but now, the tax credits remove that worry.”

We ran a story on Vaughn in the Spokesman-Review on Sept. 28, taking note of her support then for the state initative to add an income tax for high-worth earners.

That initiative was defeated soundly by the voters.

A UBS Financial Services manager, Mike Ryan, will be guest speaker for tomorrow’s (June 3) Gonzaga University Business Dean’s Breakfast Forum.

Ryan (shown in photo) will cover the impact of two major market collapses over the last decade on the investment environment. Breakfast starts at 7 a.m., with discussion at 7:30 a.m. The event is in the Jepson Center Wolff Auditorium. 

Ryan is head of wealth management research for the Americas at UBS Financial Services, Inc.

On June 23 in the same location and same time, Rich Umbdenstock will cover “Reforming U.S. Health Care: A Conversation.”  Umbdenstock is former CEO of Sacred Heart Medical Center. He is now CEO and President of the American Hospital Association.

To register, go to http://bit.ly/axyNQP.  GU is offering both events for $25. Separately each costs $15.