On the recordJanuary 13, 2017
Mr. Chairman, the Republican rush to eliminate the Affordable Care Act, to take health insurance from 30 million Americans, introduce chaos into the health insurance market, and give millionaires and billionaires a giant tax cut is misguided and does not reflect the values of the American people. On top of that, it can significantly damage our economy. Repeal will upend our Nation's healthcare system. Hospitals will see a spike in uncompensated care, leading to reduced services, job cuts, or higher prices for every one. It will cost the Nation 2.6 million jobs in 2019 alone, including 44,000 jobs in Kentucky. The hit to the economy will be in the trillions of dollars, and it will give corporations and the wealthy hundreds of billions of dollars of tax cuts. Repeal isn't about what is best for the American people. It is solely about politics and what is in the financial interest of the well-off and the well-connected. There is absolutely no logic to this. That said, if Republicans are determined to rush something through Congress right now using the budget process, we would suggest a totally different approach. Let's look at areas where this Congress and this incoming administration can work together to address a pressing challenge facing the country.…





