Rep. Hoyer Floor Remarks on Republican Bill to Repeal Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., issued the following floor remarks on the Republican bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act:

"The Republicans released a bill last night. That bill deals with every American's welfare. Every American's welfare. Every child's welfare in this country. None of them were able to testify before the committee, before the committee marks it up on Wednesday. None of them were able to come to that committee and say how it will affect them or their families or their fellow citizens. None of them were able to testify as to the benefits of the Affordable Care Act for them, their families, their children, and their neighbors. None of them will have been able to read and digest the bill.

"Mr. Speaker, last night, after locking it away in a basement for days and just as reporters were leaving to go home, Republicans released the text of their legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

"The country has been waiting for seven years for the Republican replacement, for the Republican alternative, for the Republicans to redeem their promise of a better plan, a better way to ensure the security of having health care that is affordable and available to each American and to their families and their children. Republicans have been promising since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act in 2010 that they would repeal it entirely and enact something better. They don't repeal it entirely, and they don't offer something better - something that covers more Americans and lowers costs to consumers.

"For seven years they have said we have a better plan. Last night, they revealed the inaccuracy of that representation. The bait and switch, if you will, of that representation. The pretense to their conservatives who have voted some 65 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act that they were not going to offer a bill that did that, notwithstanding the fact that they said that's what they are going to do.

"The legislation they introduced would repeal, of course, some parts of the Affordable Care Act and replace them with policies that will take health coverage away, take health care away from millions of Americans, and make millions of others pay more for less.

"President Trump just the other day from that rostrum promised the American people that the Republican plan would 'have insurance for everybody.' That was not true. Neither the House Republicans, nor the Senate Republicans, nor President Trump have offered such a plan. And the plan that was revealed last night does not fulfill that representation. Mr. Speaker, it should not surprise us, however, that our President says things that proved to be not accurate.

"He also said from that rostrum that the policies would be 'far less expensive and far better' than they are now. This bill does not do that. And the President has offered no bill that does that. This plan fails that representation miserably. It increases health care costs for middle class families in order to pay for tax breaks for the wealthiest who don't need them to afford health care. We should not penalize people for becoming wealthy. We applaud their success. But we should not subsidize health care for those of us who can afford our health care while those who cannot are left to fend for themselves. In other words, the Republicans are once again saying, 'you are on your own.'

"Their bill also raids the Medicare trust fund, threatening its long-term solvency. In fact, the Affordable Care Act added to the life expectancy of Medicare. The bill that the Republicans have put forward imposes severe cuts to Medicaid, as well. It forces states and health care providers to carry the burden of the uninsured while taking away funding for expanded Medicaid. Their bill requires states to ration care by throwing those with pre-existing conditions into 'sick pools' with higher premiums, higher deductibles, and waiting periods for coverage. And what service would be available under Medicaid?

"Their plan replaces the individual responsibility requirement, which, by the way, Mr. Speaker, as you may well know, was the proposal of The Heritage Foundation. Heritage Action, which is the political arm of the Foundation, opposes the Republican bill. Not for the same reason I do, but because they believe it continues much of what ACA tried to do in protecting Americans in a plan that was initially proposed by the Heritage Foundation and adopted by Governor Romney in Massachusetts.

"Unbelievably, Mr. Speaker, Republicans won't even tell the American people how much this legislation will cost. And what its impact will be on consumers' wallets and our insurance markets.

"How do you do that? You have hearings. You listen to people. You listen to their experiences now. You listen to what their needs are. And you listen to those who have the greatest experience on their view of what the impact of this legislation will be. There have been no such hearings and none are planned.

"Republicans know that millions of Americans will lose coverage under their legislation - those covered under Medicaid, the health insurance exchanges, and even those with employer-based insurance. That's why, Mr. Speaker, in my opinion, they are rushing to see this bill put in force before it is illuminated by the light of day and before the American people find out how they will be impacted.

"Thankfully, Mr. Speaker, it will be difficult, however, for House Republicans to enact their bill into law. Not only because of the extreme opposition to those proposals by the American people, as we have seen in town hall meeting, after town hall meeting, after town hall meeting across this country, but also because the House and Senate Republicans are already rejecting it. It's not certain that House Republicans can even reach a majority in this House on their legislation.

"The head of the Republican Study Committee, the largest group of Republicans, has said this bill is 'not acceptable.'

"Mr. Meadows from North Carolina, the head of the Freedom Caucus said this bill does not repeal the Affordable Care Act. Which is his objective and the objective of the Freedom Caucus. Senator Cruz has said that as well. Senator Paul has said that as well. Senator Lee has said that as well.

"One thing is clear, however, Mr. Speaker, House Republicans are going to have to find the votes on their own to dismantle the protections incorporated in the Affordable Care Act that the American people now have.

"Is the Affordable Care Act perfect? It is not. Should we have spent the last six years trying to make it work as well as it possibly can? Yes, we should have. Were we able to do that? No. The only alternative the Republican Party offered to the American people and to this House was to repeal. Not to replace, not to repair, not to fix, not to make sure it was more affordable and more available to the American people so that we would be a healthier and stronger nation. Their only option was to repeal.

"Mr. Speaker, I urge Republican Leaders: withdraw this bill. Let us work together to ensure what almost every Member says they want and that is a health care program in America that is affordable by all, available to all, and enjoyed by all. That's what President Trump said at that rostrum just days ago.

"This bill that the Republicans are going to mark up on Wednesday does not do what they say or what President Trump said. The American people will oppose it, and we will reflect their opposition in this House.

"We are available to our Republican colleagues in good faith to work together to ensure that what the President said - available to all at a lower price with everybody having access - we will support that bill if it exists. And we will work with our Republican colleagues to pass it and give that protection and security to the American people.

"Mr. Speaker, I note that there have not been many Republicans to speak this morning. I understand that one Republican, one Republican spoke about this bill. I am amazed if they think this is a better way, I am amazed if they think this will do a better job than the Affordable Care Act, I am amazed if they think they will bring costs down and care up. That we don't have a lot of Republicans, Mr. Speaker, coming to this floor and claiming victory - they're not here because they can't claim that victory.

"Let's reject this bill, Mr. Speaker. Let's work together. We can do better. The American people expect us to do better, and I yield back."

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