Press Release
"[The Affordable Care Act] was hard-fought. We now see the first day in my state literally tens of thousands of people were signing up… . They were so excited about having, finally, access to affordable quality health care and have insurance.
“Good afternoon. Of course as we all know, it is not a good afternoon. It is an afternoon filled with angst, anxiety, fear, doubt, lack of confidence, and a concern all over America about whether their government can and does work. I want to thank all of you for being here. I know you share all that anxiety and fear, for your families and for yourselves. We want to thank you for the service you give to our federal government.
“[Republicans] shut down the government. They think that gives them leverage to accomplish what they couldn't accomplish in the election and it's harmful to the American people. The losers are not the silent majority in the Republican Conference. The losers are the American people. Their government is now shut down. Their government is not available to serve them as they want themselves served, as it ought to serve them. Clearly, Americans want an efficient, effective government but they don't want no government.”
“Here, the issue is not numbers because we’ve taken the Republican number for funding in this interim…. We’ve adopted their number. We’ve said OK, we’ll agree with your number.
“Today’s report from the Institute for Supply Management shows that our manufacturing sector grew last month at its fastest pace in almost two and a half years, only to be rewarded with an unnecessary government shutdown amid damaging sequester cuts.
“Today, with the beginning of open enrollment for health insurance exchanges in all fifty states and the District of Columbia, Americans across the country are now able to shop, compare, and sign up for insurance plans that offer real choices and competitive pricing. As a result, millions of uninsured Americans will be able to access affordable coverage, many for the first time.
“I don't think any American can feel happy about the situation we confront right now. Every economist predicts it's going to be costly to the economy, dangerous to our national security and undermine the confidence of the American people, and of the people who work for them in the United States government. This is a policy that is very negative, very harmful and rejected by approximately three quarters of the American people as a strategy that ought not to be pursued."
“By shutting down the United States government, House Republicans have proven that they are willing to follow through on their threats to the prosperity and security of our nation – and cause hundreds of thousands of middle-class workers to be furloughed immediately – all in the name of a pointless attempt to undo the Affordable Care Act.
“The health insurance exchanges being set up in each state are an important part of health care reform. These exchanges will allow individuals and families to choose from the quality health insurance plans at competitive rates. The health insurance exchanges provide real choices and greater freedom for Americans to get the coverage they need.
“Thank you very much Madam Leader. We are against shutting down the government. Shutting down the government is bad policy, it undermines the confidence of our people, our national security, our economy, and the creation of jobs. We are against shutting down government.