Rep. Hoyer Statement on the Supreme Court Upholding the Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, D-Maryland, issued the following statement on June 17, 2021:

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Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05)released the following statement today after the Supreme Court rejected the Republican lawsuit aiming to dismantle the Affordable Care Act:

"This morning's 7-2 ruling by the Supreme Court protects the 31 million Americans who would have lost their health coverage if Republicans succeeded in their effort to overturn the Affordable Care Act. It is unconscionable that Republicans in Congress, in several state governments, and in the former administration would actively seek to take health care access away from so many people in middle of the worst public health crisis in our lifetimes. That effort was a clear signal that Republican politicians believe it is more important to dismantle the Obama-Biden Administration's positive legacy of helping families afford coverage than it is to protect Americans' health.

"This case was just the latest in a long effort by Republicans to repeal, undermine, or overturn the Affordable Care Act, but today's ruling affirms yet again that it is the law of the land. Even while Republicans have continued to fight it, the law has only grown in popularity - and that's because it is working. We cannot go back to a time when Americans were dropped from their health coverage if they became ill or when families had to choose between putting food on the table or signing up for coverage that was increasingly unaffordable. We must never return to a situation in which tens of millions who wanted insurance couldn't afford it, or when lifetime and annual limits on coverage left many bankrupted because of mounting medical bills. Moreover, Democrats will not permit a return to a time when the 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions - like asthma, diabetes, and cancer - were made uninsurable by discriminatory policies. The Affordable Care Act addressed all of these needs and must continue to be in place to protect Americans' access to high-quality, affordable health care.

"This is now the third time that the Supreme Court has upheld the Affordable Care Act. It is time for Republicans to abandon this quixotic effort and instead work with Democrats to strengthen and protect the law and make it benefit even more Americans. I urge them to stop trying to use Americans' health for partisan ends. Let us move forward together in a common effort to protect affordable health coverage for all."