Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 3762--Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. DeSAULNIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my strong opposition to the Senate amended budget reconciliation bill.

This vote represents House Republicans' 62nd attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It's also the 11th vote to attack women's health care in the 114th Congress alone. This reconciliation package will undermine important patients' rights and take away critical benefits from Americans.

As we know, the Affordable Care Act has provided health security to nearly 18 million previously uninsured Americans since enacted in 2010. Nearly 9.9 million Americans have enrolled in the health insurance marketplaces, with millions more enrolled in expanded Medicaid programs, including an estimated 2.3 million in California alone.

In addition to repealing the ACA Medicaid coverage expansion, this bill eliminates ACA tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies for households with modest incomes. This poorly conceived bill terminates ACA tax credits available to small businesses, and undermines important community-based programs in the Prevention and Public Health Fund.

Overall, the Congressional Budget Office estimates this bill will take affordable health coverage away from 22 million Americans after 2017, without providing a workable alternative to help Americans secure health care coverage.

Additionally, the reconciliation package puts women's health at risk by defunding Planned Parenthood, a provider serving millions of men and women throughout the country, and in some cases serves as the only provider within a given community. Planned Parenthood offers preventive services to millions of women, such as screenings for cancer and sexually transmitted infections, and family planning services.

Mr. Speaker, this ill-conceived reconciliation bill increases the number of uninsured Americans and puts women's health at risk. I strongly oppose this measure that will harm my constituents and prevent millions of Americans from accessing affordable health care.

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