Providing for Consideration of H.R. Breaking the Gridlock Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, there is no more important bill than Leader Jeffries' bill to make healthcare more affordable for more than 20 million Americans whose monthly health premiums have skyrocketed because of Republican inaction and indifference.

When I was home during the holidays, all I heard from my constituents was that their healthcare premiums were doubling and tripling in the State of New Jersey.

This bill is a godsend. I am not exaggerating. This bill is a godsend for people who are concerned that they are not going to have health insurance or already don't have health insurance because they weren't able to buy it on January 1.

What happens when they don't get health insurance? Mr. Speaker, the effects of this don't just affect the 20 million people who don't get it because of the Affordable Care Act or ObamaCare. The effects are on everyone who has health insurance because emergency rooms will once again be overflowing with people who are forced to wait until they are so sick that they have no choice but to go to the ER because they don't have a doctor.

Patients will be sicker. Doctors and nurses will be stretched thin. Hospitals will be left with large sums of uncompensated care, which will be passed on to everyone with insurance in the form of higher monthly premiums. This isn't just about the ACA, but it is most important for those people who had the ACA and perhaps don't have it anymore.

Unfortunately, the Republican majority has known these price hikes were coming all along, but they didn't do a single thing to stop this from happening.

Last year, Republicans instead spent their time giving permanent tax breaks to billionaires and large companies, but refused to extend the ACA enhanced premium tax credits to help lower healthcare costs for everyday people. Today, we have a chance to right that wrong and help out our hardworking Americans.

Mr. Speaker, Republicans may not want to admit it publicly, but they know that the ACA has resulted in historically low insurance rates, helped millions of families stay covered, and saved lives--and I stress saved lives. If we don't take action, all of this progress could be reversed as the American people are priced out of the ability to see their doctors.

Vote for this bill.

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