Improve Our Healthcare System

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the more than 130 million Americans with preexisting conditions who are under attack from the Trump administration.

Some of these people have chronic health conditions such as asthma and diabetes. Some are waging courageous fights against cancer. Some are tackling challenges with mental health or substance abuse. These are our family and friends. They are our neighbors, our coworkers, our caregivers. They are us.

Sadly, if the administration has its way, they will once more be subjected to discrimination that could deprive them of coverage, condemn them to a lifetime's worth of staggering medical bills, and push their families into devastating bankruptcy.

One of my constituents in Highland Park who found coverage through the ACA wrote me:

My preexisting condition is not a result of my lifestyle choices, as some like to believe. I don't deserve to be demonized and financially thrashed just because of something I cannot control.

I agree. Seventy percent of the public also support making sure people with preexisting conditions have protections. I urge the Trump administration to abandon its legal effort to undermine the ACA. Enough with the sabotage.

We owe it to these 130 million people to do better. Instead of building barriers to healthcare, let's work together and improve our healthcare system.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source