Efforts to Dismantle Obamacare

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to raise serious concerns about the President-elect's plan to dismantle ObamaCare.

As an architect of the law, I am proud to report that the percentage of Americans uninsured is at a record low. More than 20 million additional Americans have health care, and a million additional enrollees are expected this year. The Affordable Care Act is, in fact, working.

Reports have surfaced that the President-elect's plan to dismantle ObamaCare would eliminate the subsidies that have enabled more than 70 percent of consumers to find plans at less than $75 a month. Any effort to eliminate subsidies would lead to unsustainable cost increases and a loss of healthcare coverage for people nationwide.

There is also a threat to undo the Medicaid expansion under which almost 16 million Americans have been insured. With children representing about half of all Medicaid recipients, the elimination of that expansion would be disastrous for the most vulnerable Americans.

Mr. Speaker, Democrats stand ready to work to improve and strengthen the Affordable Care Act, but we will continue to stand resolute against any effort to dismantle it. For the sake of the American people, we can't get this wrong.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source