VIDEO: Sen. Blunt criticizes 'ObamaCare's' opening-day glitches

During a Senate Republican "Leadership Stakeout" on the first day of the health insurance federal marketplace, Missouri's Roy Blunt spoke critically of the legislative amendment process leading up to the Affordable Care Act and called for a delay in the individual mandate. By midday Oct. 1, marketplace portal HealthCare.gov was reportedly experiencing technical difficulties for small-business owners attempting to review plan options.

"What we see is what happens when you put legislation on the books and violate all of the principles you should have when you pass legislation," Blunt said. "That's why you're seeing so much desire at the last minute to make changes."

He said the Senate proposed Monday night to delay the individual insurance mandate for one year.

"Apparently, the president can amend this all he wants. He can decide that businesses don't have to provide health insurance for their employers, and there's no penalty.

"If we're going to exempt businesses from having to provide insurance, let's give the same one-year exemption to individuals, so they don't have to pay a penalty if they don't have it."

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