Hoyer Urges Republicans to Show the American People Their ACA Replacement in Colloquy

Office of the Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer

February 3, 2017

Contact: Mariel Saez 202-225-3130

Hoyer Urges Republicans to Show the American People Their ACA Replacement in Colloquy

WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) spoke on the House Floor today about House Republicans' lack of a serious plan to replace the Affordable Care Act during a colloquy with Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. Below is a transcript of his remarks and a link to the video.

"We are not in agreement, Mr. Speaker. What we would be doing would be 180 degrees different. We would not be pretending we're going to repeal an Affordable Care Act that has been a success.

"We do not agree, Mr. Speaker, that having 30 million Americans insured that were not insured before the Affordable Care Act is a failure. We do not agree that people with pre-existing conditions can now get insurance is a failure. We do not agree that people who are 26 or younger being on their family's policy when they don't have a job or alternative insurance is a failure. We do not agree that Americans having the security that their insurance will not be cancelled because they reached an annual limit is a failure. We do not agree that Americans having no lifetime limits so they have a catastrophic illness they will still have courage, that is not a failure.

"What is a failure is to have pretended for the last six years that they wanted to repeal the Affordable Care Act and have no replacement as of this time. That is a failure.

"The President says, Mr. Speaker, that his plan is going to make sure that everybody is insured, comprehensive coverage, and the costs will come down. He, of course, Mr. Speaker, has not offered a bill to effect that objective. We would welcome such a bill so we could consider it.

"No, Mr. Speaker, had the three million additional people who voted for Hillary Clinton, more so than voted for Donald Trump, prevailed, the Electoral College prevailed, but the majority of the American people that voted in plurality voted to keep the Affordable Care Act, as Mrs. Clinton said she would do if she were elected.

"So, Mr. Speaker, the Majority Leader is in deep error on whether we would be having the same debate. He is right, we have an outcome of a party and a president who said they were going to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

"GOP Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers stated, let me be clear, no one who has coverage because of Obamacare today will lose that coverage.

"The Majority Leader said something about the President saying if you like your policy you can keep it. In fact, the President was substantially right on that. Yes, were there minimum coverage so that people weren't scammed by insurance companies in saying you got insurance but, oh, by the way, we don't cover that, by the way, we don't cover that, have you seen those ads about I bought a new car and I had a wreck a day later and guess what the insurance company wants to give me 80%, 90%, 70% less" That's what the insurance companies were doing and people thought they had insurance for something and they didn't have it.

"So Cathy McMorris Rodgers says, you're not going to lose anything. Well, I don't know if it was so bad, why don't you repeal it" Why don't you offer a bill to repeal it and undermine all those factors of the Affordable Care Act that are now available to the Americans that I suggested?

"President Trump said this but I want to repeat it, said last month, Republicans were nearing completion of an ACA replacement that would provide insurance for everybody. Bring it on. Bring it on. Insurance for everybody. Let's see it.

"He went on to say his plan would have lower numbers, much lower deductibles. God bless him. Bring it on. Let us see it. Let's vote on it. It's not on the Floor, and I'm not sure when it will be on the Floor, but perhaps the Majority Leader can tell us."