Providing for Consideration of H.R. 596, Repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, yesterday was Groundhog Day. How
appropriate that the Republican majority chose today for their 56th
attempt to repeal or to undermine the Affordable Care Act. These
futile, ideological gestures are getting old.

The vote I cast for the health care law is one of the proudest I have
cast in my political career because the reforms that we put in place
are helping millions of families across the Nation. Americans can no
longer be denied coverage for a preexisting condition. Preventive
screenings, maternity care, and pediatric care are now all covered.
Seniors enjoy relief from high drug costs. Millions of low-income
children have health care through the CHIP program. Women's health has
been put on an equal footing. Insurers can no longer subject families
to lifetime caps on coverage. Annual caps are being phased out.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Affordable Care Act
has reduced the number of uninsured people by 12 million last year, 19
million this year. My Republican colleagues don't really care about
that because they have health care as a Member of Congress. Why should
they worry about people who do not have health care?

The CBO has also cut its estimate of the cost of rolling out coverage
to millions of Americans, a saving of $140 billion compared to previous
estimates. This is good news. It should be on the front page of every
newspaper.

The Affordable Care Act has succeeded by putting people--not
insurance companies--in charge of health care. It has given millions of
families care that they can depend on. We are a better country because
of it.

Let me say to my colleagues in the majority: Give it a rest. Get a
life. The American people like this law. The Supreme Court has upheld
it. We have had two elections around it. Stop trying to take away
people's health care benefits.

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