On the recordJanuary 13, 2017
For 8 years, House Republicans have wrongly claimed that the Affordable Care Act will be catastrophic for hardworking Americans. Here are the facts: since its passage, the ACA has helped cover 20 million previously uninsured Americans; 95 percent of America's children are now covered; almost 130 million Americans with preexisting conditions now have the peace of mind to know that they will not be denied health services; and healthcare costs have been growing at the slowest rate in 50 years. But as Republicans prepare to take control of the White House, it is clear they don't have an actual plan to replace ObamaCare. Not only will their repeal and displace plan cut off millions of Americans--men, women, and children--from quality, affordable health care, but it will also have devastating impacts on our economy. Repealing the Affordable Care Act will cause the loss of 2.6 million jobs, a majority of which will be non-health industry jobs. It is projected that my home State of Rhode Island will lose more than 12,000 jobs. This budget resolution will not only increase prescription drug prices for our seniors, raise premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for Americans who buy insurance, but will lead to significantly larger yearly deficits and contribute more than $9.5 trillion in debt over the next decade. I urge my colleagues to oppose this budget resolution, to protect the American people's access to quality, affordable health care, and to vote ``no.''
