Hoyer: Republicans are Choosing to Take Away Health Care Coverage from Millions of Americans

WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) spoke on the House Floor this afternoon in opposition to House Republicans' 56th vote to undermine or repeal the Affordable Care Act, taking away health care coverage and patient protections from millions of Americans. Below is a transcript of his remarks and a link to the video.

Click here for the video.

“Mr. Speaker, this House is about to hold its fifty-sixth vote to undermine or repeal the Affordable Care Act – which came to us, by the way, by route of the Heritage Foundation, as I think probably most of you recall.

“But this vote is different than the previous full repeal votes for one significant reason. Since the last repeal vote, the health insurance marketplace has opened and is working. Over 9.5 million Americans have signed up through these marketplaces for health care coverage through 2015 so far. That means, with today's vote, Republicans are choosing to take away health care coverage from millions of Americans.

“This vote will also remove patient protections and cost-savings reforms. To make matters worse, today's vote would also defund the bipartisan, popular CHIP program that helps states cover uninsured children. So it abandons children as well.

“In 2011, when House Republicans voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, they included language that said they would replace it with something else. And, notwithstanding, I say to my friend, Mr. Pitts, notwithstanding, Mr. Speaker, that, they have not done so.  They still have failed to give us an alternative.

“I urge my colleagues to vote no.”