Steve Beshear: “If you block grant Medicaid, in essence, you are going to send me less money than it takes to run the program.”

As Governor of Kentucky, I embraced the Affordable Care Act for one simple reason: Kentucky's collective health had long been terrible, and what we'd been doing for generations wasn't working.

Public health has always been the foundation of the United States’ success since its founding. It has extended life expectancy. It’s improved community health. It’s made everyday life much better for millions of people.

What they need is a strong statement from this Congress that says, 'Look. We are committed to every American to give coverage to them.'

Their first duty is to protect the public and not just protect themselves.