Sen. Reed Issues Statement on Trumpcare Vote

WASHINGTON, July 25 -- The office of Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., issued the following statement after the Senate voted 50-50, with Vice President Mike Pence breaking the tie, to proceed to legislation that takes them one step closer to repealing the Affordable Care Act:

"The Affordable Care Act enshrined basic health care security, portability, and consumer protections for all Americans. Yet, Republicans, with the two brave exceptions of Senators Collins and Murkowski, voted today to move forward with their repeal efforts with no plan as to what bill they will vote on later this week. What we do know is that every version of Trumpcare that we have seen so far would strip away the gains of the ACA, deny people access to affordable health coverage, increase costs, and destabilize insurance markets.

"Republicans held this vote without a single hearing and their bill breaks virtually every promise President Trump made on health care. Now that Republicans have advanced their legislation on a party line vote, they will have to defend it, and we will seek to vigorously debate it.

"I hope my friends on the other side of the aisle will tune out the Administration's spin and instead listen to the voices of the American people. They want us to work together to strengthen the law, not take away people's protections and access to affordable health coverage."