Rep. Hastings Issues Statement on Republican Affordable Care Act Repeal Bill

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Alcee. L. Hastings, D-Fla., issued the following statement after House Republicans revealed their bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act:

"It took Republicans seven years of undermining the ACA to finally come up with a proposal for replacing it. Their plan would kick millions of Americans off their health insurance and force millions more to pay higher premiums. It would take healthcare away from the poor, give tax cuts to the rich, and pull the rug out from under seniors, families, and children.

"Truly, this plan is so bad that Republicans literally hid the proposal from the public, at the same time refusing to discuss or share the bill with Democrats and callously brushing off the pleas from Americans supportive of the ACA. Even as the uninsured rate has fallen substantially, Republicans continue to ignore the benefits of the ACA in order to placate their political base.

"I am reminded today of President Obama's healthcare summit with Congressional leaders seven years ago. For nearly eight hours, Republicans in attendance rose, one-at-a-time, to reject the proposal in its entirety without offering any ideas for moving forward together. Since then, the Republican Party has obstructed the ACA for political reasons, harming countless Americans in the process in order to appeal to the fringe members of their party.

"Republicans in the House have voted more than 60 times to repeal, weaken, or undermine the ACA, wasting valuable time and resources. If they were truly serious about fixing healthcare in our country, they would work with Democrats to reach a compromise that would truly improve and extend care. However, I am not holding my breath."

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Rep. Alcee L. Hastings serves as Senior Member of the House Rules Committee, Ranking Democratic Member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation.

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