Chris Coons: “yesterday we learned that, once again, my Republican colleagues do not have the votes to pass their latest effort to…”

“yesterday we learned that, once again, my Republican colleagues do not have the votes to pass their latest effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act, even though the budget reconciliation process we are currently under requires only 50 votes. There are not 50 votes. Many of my colleagues have spoken on this floor about the challenges, the problems, or the issues with the latest iteration of the Graham- Cassidy bill. We have also heard as a body from many organizations all over the country that represent Americans in healthcare: the American Medical Association, which speaks for America's doctors; the American Hospital Association, which speaks for our hospitals; America's Health Insurance Plans; the American Cancer Society; many other patient advocacy groups; and the AARP, which advocates for seniors. All have weighed in about the challenges with this legislation. But rather than continuing to bear down on that point, I would like to quote a colleague and hero of mine. Senator John McCain said on this floor: We should not be content to pass healthcare legislation on a party-line basis. . . . The issue is too important, and too many lives are at risk, for us to leave the American people guessing from one election to the next whether and how they will acquire health insurance. A bill of this impact requires a bipartisan approach.…”