Healthcare Crisis

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. SUOZZI. Mr. Speaker, there are so many issues in our country right now that are affecting our people, but one of the biggest concerns is an urgent matter that on December 31 of this year, premiums for people's health insurance are going to be skyrocketing because of the expiration of the premium tax credits.

We have heard so much talk. We have heard so many petty partisan messages, people attacking each other, but right now, we have to actually do something about this issue.

In my district, if you are a family of four and make $130,000 a year, right now under the premium tax credits you have to pay 8.5 percent of your income for your health insurance. That is about $10,000 or $11,000 a year.

Those premiums are going to go up to $30,000 on January 1. People are going to go broke. They are not going to buy health insurance. When less people are on health insurance, everybody's health insurance rates go up.

Right now, there are three discharge petitions in this House giving people options as to how to address this, two of which are bipartisan, negotiated ideas. There is one for a 1-year extension and another for a 2-year extension.

Mr. Speaker, we need the Speaker of the House, the majority leader, and the President of the United States of America to engage in this issue. Pick a way forward and solve this problem that is affecting so many Americans.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source