Esty on House ACA Vote: ‘A National Disgrace that Puts Party Politics before American Families and American Jobs’

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (CT-5) today released the following statement after the House voted to enact the Republican budget resolution that sets the stage for repealing the Affordable Care Act:

"House Republicans just took the first step toward stripping 30 million Americans of their health coverage and replacing it with nothing. Their vote is a national disgrace that puts party politics before the wellbeing of American families and American jobs.

"To my colleagues I say: Put yourself in the shoes of one of the millions of people who will lose their insurance if you follow through on this dangerous plan. Imagine being Susie Clayton, a cancer survivor from North Canaan, Connecticut, who fears her retirement savings will be wiped out if she can't get insured because of her pre-existing cancer diagnosis. Imagine being Gaye Hyre from Connecticut, who is now getting treatment for a rare, debilitating disease. She said that if the ACA is repealed, 'I will lose my home and/or I will die.' Imagine being the parent of one of the 43,000 Connecticut children who stand to lose health coverage.

"Republican leaders continue to make vague promises about a replacement for the Affordable Care Act that will ensure no one loses health coverage. Yet seven years after the passage of the ACA, no such plan exists. President-elect Trump and Speaker Ryan have offered no specifics about what policies their replacement plan may include. Countless economists and health industry experts have warned that the replacement they are promising cannot be created overnight and that repealing the ACA will throw the entire health care sector of our economy into chaos - affecting millions of American jobs.

"There is still time to walk away from this shameful political crusade and start focusing on the real solutions the American people want. Let's work together to improve the ACA, strengthen the vital protections the law has provided the American people, and make health care more affordable and accessible for all."

The budget resolution passed on a party-line vote of 227-198. Under the terms of the budget resolution, the House and Senate may now pass legislation repealing the Affordable Care Act and stripping Planned Parenthood of federal funding with Republican votes alone in each chamber.

Independent experts have warned Congress that the GOP plan to repeal the ACA will:

* Cost over 2.6 million American jobs;

* Add at least $350 billion to the deficit;

* Unravel the insurance market;

* Cause premiums to skyrocket;

* Hurt local - especially rural - hospitals; and

* Exacerbate the opioid epidemic.

Read this original document at: https://esty.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/esty-house-aca-vote-national-disgrace-puts-party-politics-american