Sen. Durbin: Unimaginable That President Trump, Republicans Are Continuing Efforts to Eliminate ACA During Global Health Pandemic

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release:

In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) called out President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans for their continued efforts to eliminate the Affordable Care Act amid a global health pandemic. Durbin cited the pending Supreme Court case in which the Trump Administration and Republican-led states are seeking to strike down the entire Affordable Care Act, which would rip health insurance away from 20 million Americans and eliminate important protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

"At this moment in our history, at this moment as we face this health crisis, it is unimaginable that the Republican position is to eliminate health insurance protection for 20 million Americans and to lessen the protections in health insurance policies for 135 million more," Durbin said. "How can Republicans be thinking that this is the right moment in history to abolish the Affordable Care Act and the health insurance... it is exactly the wrong moment."

Durbin continued, "Imagine, if you will, in the weeks and months ahead, should this Roberts Court decide to abolish the Affordable Care Act in the midst of this public health crisis? I can't think of anything more catastrophic when it comes to these 20 million families and their health insurance protection."

Since the first day of the Trump Administration, the President and Republicans have acted to raise families' health costs, take away their coverage, eliminate protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and lower the quality of health care coverage. Republicans are:

* Supporting a partisan lawsuit that would raise health care costs and take health insurance and protections away from tens of millions of people;

* Refusing to stop President Trump's "junk" insurance plans, which increase costs and don't protect patients with pre-existing conditions;

* Opposing steps that would lower the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs, like Medicare negotiation;

* Defending President Trump's budget proposals that would cut funding for Medicare and Medicaid, jeopardizing care for vulnerable seniors, children, and people with disabilities; and,

* Standing with President Trump as he implements a "gag rule" on medical providers in Title X-funded clinics across the country, jeopardizing reproductive care for millions of patients.

* Rubber-stamping the confirmation of Trump judicial nominees who have publicly criticized the Affordable Care Act and who would not commit to recuse themselves from cases involving that law.

Video of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor are available here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb9-8oSiwHY&feature=youtu.be

Audio of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here. https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/audio/listen/durbin-unimaginable-that-president-trump-and-republicans-are-continuing-efforts-to-eliminate-aca-during-global-health-pandemic

Footage of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations. https://lfts.senate.gov/seos/1000/mpd/ui23052020cd79819d1fcf33617f00622f44861b7b