On the recordJanuary 13, 2017
Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I am so proud of him and his leadership as the ranking member on the Budget Committee. I am so sorry that the Speaker left the floor because I have some very good news for him. Clearly, he does not understand what the Affordable Care Act has brought to our country in terms of expanding benefits, lowering costs, and expanding the access of many more people to the promise of our founders, of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, a healthier life, and the freedom to pursue their happiness. I understand why the Speaker may want to concentrate on some mythology that he presented about the Affordable Care Act, because he is not going to focus on what this bill on the floor does today, and the Republican budget. It does not create more good-paying jobs, or raise wages. It does not invest in infrastructure to rebuild our Nation. The Republican plan does not invest in the education of our children or the lifetime learning of working people. It does not help Americans find balance between work and family. It does not reduce the deficit. In fact, it increases the deficit. And it does not seek to drain the swamp of secret money from our elections. Instead, the Republicans are feeding their ideological obsession with repealing the ACA and dismantling the health and economic security of hardworking families. We all know that a budget should be a statement of our values.…





