Adopting the Rules of the House of Representatives for the 116th Congress
Floor Speech
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Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me the time.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to support this resolution to intervene against the egregious Texas v. United States lawsuit that seeks to end the Affordable Care Act, or, as I like to call it, the Civil Rights Act of the 21st Century.
In a few days, we are going to be celebrating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who once said: ``Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane.''
Since the ACA was enacted, significant progress has been made to lessen the inequality in our healthcare delivery system. To dismantle those lifesaving protections now is unfounded and unjust.
It is unjust to deny those with preexisting conditions access to healthcare. It is unjust to cut off insurance coverage to a child with cancer because she has reached her maximum lifetime benefits. It is unjust to charge women more than we charge men for healthcare simply because of their gender. It is unjust to increase the cost of seniors' medications by reopening the gap known as the donut hole in their Medicare prescription drug coverage.
It is unjust to tell young people just starting out in life that they can no longer remain on their parents' insurance policies.
It is unjust to reinstitute charges for preventative healthcare, costing more money in the long run when illnesses go undetected for too long.
It is unjust to ask the working poor not eligible for Medicaid to purchase private insurance at the market rate when they are struggling to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads.
Access to quality healthcare ought not only be for those who can afford it; it ought to be for those who need it. It is unfortunate for us to deny healthcare to people just because they were born unhealthy.
A vote against this resolution is a vote against providing the basic human right to fair and equitable access to quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans.
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