Obamacare: a Direct Attack on the Middle Class

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) made the following remarks on Senate floor today regarding repealing and replacing failed Obamacare law:

"Just before the election, CNN ran an article with the following headline: 'Is Obamacare Really Affordable? Not For the middle class.' It was true then. It's true now. And it will continue to get worse unless Obamacare is repealed and replaced.

"In places like my home state of Kentucky, relief cannot come soon enough. Because of Obamacare, premiums in Kentucky shot up by as much as 47 percent this year. Almost half of the counties in Kentucky have only one option for insurance providers on the Obamacare exchange. Families are losing their doctors and are being forced into junk plans.

"The list of broken promises goes on and on. I've said it before. The status quo is unsustainable. We cannot sit on our hands and do nothing. We must act before the market collapses.

"Americans have repeatedly demanded the repeal of Obamacare, and Republicans are fulfilling our promise to do so. The bill unveiled in the House this week represents an important step toward that pledge. It will bring much-needed relief to families and small-businesses, it will give Americans more control over their own healthcare choices, it will help stabilize the marketplace -- and, just yesterday, Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Tom Price sent a letter expressing the Administration's support for it.

"'These proposals offer patient-centered solutions that will provide all Americans with access to affordable, quality healthcare,' he wrote. They will also 'promote innovation, and offer peace of mind for those with pre-existing conditions' he said.

"In the coming weeks, committees in the House will publicly debate this bill. I hope that members take the time to consider the bill and continue to ask questions. Once we receive the bill from the House, the Senate will act.

"Because here's what we know. Obamacare is a direct attack on the middle class. It will continue to get worse unless we act to repeal and replace it. And we're determined to keep our promise to the American people to do so."

Read this original document at: http://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=ADAA83EC-CD3C-458C-8945-76E318490DF9