WASHINGTON, July 16 -- The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee issued the following news release:

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is releasing a new web video called "Denial" featuring Republican Members of Congress denying that they voted to protect taxpayer funded health care benefits for themselves, while repealing critical patient protections for the middle class and doing nothing to create jobs.

"House Republicans refuse to admit they voted to give themselves taxpayer funded lifetime guaranteed health care instead of having the same health care as their constituents," said Jesse Ferguson of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "House Republicans didn't just vote to protect insurance company campaign donor profits this time, they're even helping themselves to lifetime taxpayer-funded government health care and now they need to be honest with their constituents and admit it."

Before last week's repeal vote, The Hill newspaper found that repealing the Affordable Care Act would "let members of Congress keep their government-subsidized insurance coverage after they retire -- a benefit they lost under the health law." The Hill found that "a Republican amendment to the Affordable Care Act -- kicked members of Congress and their aides out of the healthcare program for federal employees. Instead, lawmakers and staff have to get coverage through the insurance exchanges created by the healthcare law. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), who championed that provision, said it ensures that lawmakers live under the same rules as their constituents."

TNS MJ88-120717-3954312 StaffFurigay