Senator Chris Murphy and Representative Jim Himes issued the following statements after the House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act by a vote of 217-213. It now goes on to the Senate for action.
From Murphy:
“House Republicans just passed a bill they know will end insurance for 24 million and make insurance totally unaffordable for anybody with a pre-existing condition. That’s an abomination,” said Murphy. “This is not a health care bill–it’s a tax cut for millionaires that’s paid for by taking insurance away from the sick and jacking up prices for the healthy. Virtually no one in America wants this bill–it polls at about 18%–and the Senate should bury it before it ever gets to our door.
“We all know our health care system has problems, but those won’t be solved by ripping insurance away from people who need it to live. I’ll work with anyone who’s willing to make sure this never gets to the president’s desk so that we can have a bipartisan process that preserves what works in the Affordable Care Act and fixes what needs improvement.”
From Himes:
“Today, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and President Trump have turned their backs on the American people and the people of Connecticut. The bill passed today gives an enormous tax cut to the wealthiest Americans by making insurance much harder, or even impossible, to get for poor or sick individuals or families, and making whatever insurance may be available to them worse. If this bill were to become law, we would see an estimated 24 million Americans, possibly many more, thrown off their insurance. Americans will live sicker. Americans will die sooner.
“I believe that we are not a cruel country–that we are fundamentally generous and empathetic. Today’s tragic vote makes it very clear that a bipartisan solution is the only way to actually improve our healthcare system. I stand ready to work to make these improvements to the ACA and put forward policy solutions that will benefit the health of our families. This is a sad day for all of us, but we will turn that sadness into action, not give in to despair.”
The house bill has no chance of passing the Senate in its current form. This could be the thing people remember during next years off-cycle election that could turn the house back to the Dems. to quote JML “time will tell”
It’s a long road between now and November 2018. Remember the old question “What have you done for me lately?”
*** The fact that this Health Care Bill passed the House, even if by one vote gives it the life it needs to gain momentum going forward! And it’s only been just a little over 100 days in office for Trump. The Republicans have been dead set on getting rid of Obama Care that anything they could muster up in its place would of been acceptable come hell or high water! But make no mistake, the Obama seed towards affordable universal health care has been planted & that in itself regardless of the majority political party in power will never be a dead issue in America anymore! *** DUMP TRUMP ***
I hate republicans.
Awww, Don’t be a hater Frank.
The party of ‘the resistance’ is long on pandering to their support base and short on admitting that Obamacare was collapsing due to glaring weaknesses.
Obamacare failed as a guarantee of insurance. As a business model, it did not work and relied on the unsustainable expansion of Medicaid.
Hopefully, the Senate version will address the legitimate concerns with this plan. Even if it does, I’m sure the Connecticut contingent will continue to obstruct and pander.
To your point Tom, How about we all write our senators asking them to be true leaders and heroes of their party, reach across the aisle and write a health care bill which they and their staff would support and can afford? Both this bill and the ACA did not accomplish that. We the people would all benefit from true national universal health care. True in that we all participate, no matter who we work for. It would be a very presidential thing to do and bode well the next election cycle.
What did these 2 do after they voted for Obama Care even though they did not read the bill before the vote. They have made no improvements in Obama Care and now are on the band wagon to get rid of this latest health care bill before its completed. these guys are pure democratic bullshit artists. I did not vote for them and will not vote for them in the future.