Asa Hutchinson: “It is clear, if we want to adopt this, we can. If we want to enact this, we can. The whole blue slip smokescreen is a…”

“It is clear, if we want to adopt this, we can. If we want to enact this, we can. The whole blue slip smokescreen is a distraction from the reality. This is something we should do. Most of us know we should do it. It is something we can do. It is not an effort to subvert or derail this bill. It is an effort to improve it. It is most definitely relevant to this legislation because this legislation will increase the uninsured. It is going to do that. I do not think there is any doubt about that. The CBO says it is going to increase costs and, as a result of that 4.2 percent increase in cost in premiums, at least on top of the inflation that is already occurring in the health care industry, we are going to see at least 1.3 million more uninsured. Any effort we can make in this legislation to reduce the uninsured is most relevant. This legislation will do that. This is a key vote. This is an important vote. This is one that deals directly with access to health care.”