Congresswoman Waters Congratulates the Three Republican Senators who Joined Democrats to Defeat Trumpcare

WASHINGTON--Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, released the following statement after three Republican Senators joined all Senate Democrats early this morning to vote down the "skinny bill" to repeal the Affordable Care Act, by a vote of 49-51:

"I congratulate the three courageous Republicans in the United States Senate who joined together with all Senate Democrats to vote down an effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The final bill that Senate Republican leaders brought to a vote in the darkest hours of the night - like all previous Republican proposals to repeal the Affordable Care Act - was drafted in a backroom without public input and would have been devastating for millions of hard working Americans and their families.

"Over the last several months, hundreds of thousands of Americans have used their voices to oppose Republican plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act. They attended townhall meetings, organized rallies, and urged their Senators and Representatives to oppose partisan Republican bills that would callously strip health insurance from millions of people. The vast majority of Republicans in the House of Representatives ignored their pleas and passed a heartless, partisan Trumpcare bill that would have gutted essential health benefits, eliminated protections for people with pre-existing conditions, slashed more than $800 billion from Medicaid, and caused 23 million people to lose their health insurance.

"Fortunately, three Republican Senators wisely put their country and their constituents first and ensured that we will have another chance to work together on a bipartisan basis on behalf of the American people. I congratulate these three Senators for their courage and their commitment to their constituents. I am encouraged and inspired by their actions, and I hope that all Republicans will now begin working with Democrats to develop bipartisan legislation that will provide the American people the quality, affordable health care they deserve."

Read this original document at: https://waters.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-waters-congratulates-three-republican-senators-who-joined