House Health Committee Chairs Blast Trump Administration's Attack on Affordable Care Act's Nondiscrimination Protections

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following news release:

Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Ways and Means Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA), and Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) released the following statement after the Trump Administration finalized a discriminatory rule overturning key health programs and nondiscrimination protections for marginalized populations, including LGBTQIA+ people, women, individuals with disabilities and non-proficient English speakers. The protections were established by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

"Taking away health care protections and sanctioning discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people, people of color, and other marginalized communities would be heinous at any time, but the Trump Administration's decision to do so during a global health crisis that has already disproportionately affected many of these communities is unforgivable.

"The Administration should be entirely focused on increasing testing capacity and containing the coronavirus outbreak that has claimed the lives of more than 100,000 Americans. Instead, the Department of Health and Human Services is wasting time finalizing a rule that reverses years of progress and opens the door to sanctioned discrimination against the very people who already face barriers to health care.

"We will fight to overturn this harmful rule because we cannot allow President Trump to send us back to a time of blatant health care discrimination against patients."