Sen. Murray Slams Trumpcare on Senate Floor, Calls Deeply Harmful Repeal Bill ‘Definition of Taking our Health Care System Backwards’

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The office of Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., issued the following news release:

Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today delivered the following floor speech on House Republican legislation to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and rip apart the health care system.

Key excerpts of Senator Murray's remarks:

"M. President, this legislation represents a broken promise to patients and families. It would leave them sicker, more vulnerable to the chaos Republicans are creating within our health care system, and less financially secure. Millions of people who only just gained Medicaid coverage will lose it. People struggling with mental illness and substance abuse--including opioid addiction, which is ravaging states nationwide--may find that their insurance no longer has to cover the treatment they need. And key public health programs that families across the country rely on would be slashed."

"I also want to make clear what Trumpcare would mean specifically for women. As someone who has fought time after time to protect women's ability to make their own health care decisions--I can tell you that this bill is a wish list by and for the extreme politicians who insist on telling women what to do with their own bodies. It would defund Planned Parenthood; undermine key protections for women's health care included in the Affordable Care Act; and by slashing Medicaid, this bill would take coverage away from low-income women and women of color who disproportionately rely on Medicaid to get the care they need."

"I could not oppose this bill in stronger terms--and I am going to be doing everything I can to fight back against it. I know that Senate Democrats are ready to do so as well. And I urge any Republican who is truly concerned about their constituents' health, wellbeing, and financial security--rather than just partisan politics--to do the right thing and join us."

Full text of Senator Murray's remarks, as prepared for delivery:

M. President, since the election, I have had constituent after constituent come up to me with tears in their eyes, wondering what the future holds for their health care.

They are worried about losing coverage.

Wondering how they'll make ends meet if their premiums spike.

And they're worried that without protections laid out in the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies will once again have more power to decide what kinds of care are and aren't covered.

My constituents--and people across the country--were listening when President Trump said that he would provide "insurance for everybody" that would be higher quality and lower cost.

They heard Senate Republicans say that it's important any new health care plan "do no harm."

And they even saw House Republicans reassure that they wouldn't "pull the rug out" from anyone on Obamacare.

Well, M. President, this legislation represents a broken promise to patients and families.

It would leave them sicker, more vulnerable to the chaos Republicans are creating within our health care system, and less financially secure.

Millions of people who only just gained Medicaid coverage will lose it.

People struggling with mental illness and substance abuse--including opioid addiction, which is ravaging states nationwide--may find that their insurance no longer has to cover the treatment they need.

And key public health programs that families across the country rely on would be slashed.

M. President, Trumpcare would be a disaster for workers and families.

But let's be clear about who it does work for: those at the top.

Because, even while Trumpcare causes all this harm for the same workers and families Republicans promised to help--it actually reduces the tax burden for the wealthiest and insurance companies.

That's the definition of taking our health care system backwards.

M. President, I also want to make clear what Trumpcare would mean specifically for women.

As someone who has fought time after time to protect women's ability to make their own health care decisions--I can tell you that this bill is a wish list by and for the extreme politicians who insist on telling women what to do with their own bodies.

It would defund Planned Parenthood.

Undermine key protections for women's health care included in the Affordable Care Act.

And by slashing Medicaid, this bill would take coverage away from low-income women and women of color who disproportionately rely on Medicaid to get the care they need.

M. President, I could not oppose this bill in stronger term --and I am going to be doing everything I can to fight back against it.

I know that Senate Democrats are ready to do so as well.

And I urge any Republican who is truly concerned about their constituents' health, wellbeing, and financial security--rather than just partisan politics--to do the right thing and join us.

Thank you and I yield the floor.