Opposing the CR That Delays the Implementation of the Affordable Care Act

Floor Speech

Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Speaker, at the time that President Obama was first inaugurated, it was clear to most Americans that we had a crisis in the health care system: the cost of premiums was skyrocketing every year, millions of American families did not have health insurance, and many of the health insurance plans that existed were inadequate, providing coverage that was essentially useless when someone had a serious health problem or a preexisting condition. Our seniors enrolled in Medicare were, in many instances, paying hundreds of dollars each month for drugs.

Now the Affordable Care Act in immediate effect addresses this crisis. Already, the Affordable Care Act has permitted millions of Americans to visit a primary care physician without copayments, prohibits insurance companies from discriminating against people with preexisting conditions, and now parents are keeping their children on their health insurance plans until they're 26 years of age.

As of Tuesday, across our great Nation, people without health insurance at long last have the ability to enroll in health care exchanges. The Affordable Care Act, it's the law of the land.

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