Healthcare

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, now on healthcare, tomorrow the Fifth Circuit will hear oral arguments in the case of Texas v. United States. The fate of our entire healthcare system hangs in the balance. This challenge to the Affordable Care Act, brought by Republican State attorneys general and regrettably supported by President Trump and his administration, represents the latest efforts by Republicans to dismantle healthcare as we know it in America.

After failing to repeal our healthcare through Federal legislation, Republicans have now turned to the courts. If Republicans get their way in this case, the impact on Americans would be catastrophic; that is not an exaggeration--catastrophic. It would result in the elimination of protections for people with preexisting conditions, possibly increasing costs for 133 million Americans under 65.

If you have a son or daughter with cancer and the insurance company cuts you off, that is catastrophic, nothing less. How many people will go through that if our Republican friends have their way? It would result in skyrocketing prescription drug costs for seniors or Medicare. Let's say there is a lifesaving drug, but it is too expensive, and you can't afford it, that is catastrophic to most Americans.

Millions of people would be kicked off Medicaid, leaving the most vulnerable out to fend for themselves. Again, you desperately need care, but no one will give it to you. That is catastrophic.

Bring it all together, and what our Republican friends want to do is make Americans pay higher prices for inferior care. That is cruelty on a massive scale.

Of course, we have been here before. For nearly 2 years, the administration pushed Congress to repeal the ACA--a crusade that failed on the Senate floor multiple times. President Trump's budget calls for trillions in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. He has opened up the floodgates for junk plans that don't cover the things that really count, like cancer treatment, maternity care, addiction services, and he has deliberately worked to make it harder for people to sign up for healthcare.

On that court case, 47 Democrats wished that we would join the lawsuit. We asked Republicans to join us in that. I think it was only one who was. Where are our Republican friends? They talk about wanting to preserve preexisting conditions, but they are mum when the administration they support tries to repeal them. It is hypocrisy-- hypocrisy. If you believe in supporting people's protections for preexisting conditions, you oppose the lawsuit and join us in saying that lawsuit should not be filed. Our Republican friends know where the people are, but they are afraid. They are quivering that Donald Trump will be angry with them if they oppose his lawsuit. Shame on them.

Our Republican friends can never argue that they are the party of healthcare. When President Trump argues that Republicans are the party of healthcare, God help the middle class. They are the party of no healthcare; the party of repeal with no plan to replace.

This lawsuit is just the latest salvo against the American people, and it shows that so long as Republicans are in power, the healthcare of the American people will not be safe. If they are successful in striking down the Affordable Care Act, Republicans--all of them--will own the consequences.

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