Carper, Coons Encourage Republicans to Make Commonsense Improvements to Obamacare, Not Repeal Altogether
Press Release
U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) joined a group of moderate Senate Democrats urging Republican Congressional leadership to discuss meaningful improvements to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) before rushing to fast-track a repeal of the landmark health care law that would strip 30 million Americans of health care insurance. In a letter sent to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Health Education Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander, and Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, the senators cited their prior support of bipartisan reforms to the ACA and their willingness to work together in order to avoid an outright repeal of the law that would increase health care costs, hurt middle class families, and cause irreparable damage to the American health care system.
"We know there is more to do to improve the health care system in our country and agree that there are serious challenges that must be addressed," the Senators wrote. "We have supported commonsense changes and improvements to the Affordable Care Act to ensure affordability and access for more Americans and have been ready and willing to work with anyone to improve the existing law for our constituents."
"We remain committed to improving the ACA, and we urge you to work with us now--to increase affordability for families, protect communities, help small businesses, and continue important protections for the most vulnerable," the Senators continued. "But by pushing an immediate repeal through a partisan reconciliation process, we won't have the opportunity to work together and build on common ground. By moving forward with no plan in place for the future of our health care system, those who support repeal assume the responsibility of mitigating the unnecessary and avoidable chaos this will create."
Joining Carper and Coons on today's letter were Senators Tim Kaine, Michael Bennet, Joe Donnelly, Maggie Hassan, Heidi Heitkamp, Angus King, Amy Klobuchar, Claire McCaskill, Gary Peters, Jeanne Shaheen and Mark Warner.
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