Political Quotes

“Madam Chair, I would say to the gentleman from Michigan, I am sure there are many Republicans who want to assure good healthcare to all people. The problem is with this specific bill. The one-page amendment that I offered could have guaranteed these ICHRA employees that they would face no discrimination among classes of employees and no barrier of preexisting conditions. That clarification would have solved this problem, and their failure repeatedly to accept that one-page amendment, with no explanation other than that they wanted to do the same thing, or that it was duplicative, betrays the promise of this bill and suggests that discrimination and denial of coverage based on preexisting conditions is what Americans in these plans will face. The chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, our colleague from Missouri (Mr. Smith) closed by saying that his goal is to cut red tape. Well, that is a goal that I think all of us can share, but I am afraid that this bill, as written, will only throw more Americans into the red and into medical debt, which is already high despite the protections that we have provided to date. There are so many families overwhelmed by medical debt, and some who will be denied the opportunity to get the protection they need from their healthcare providers because they simply cannot afford it. Madam Chair, I would say at the appropriate time I will offer a motion to recommit to this bill and send it back to committee.…”