Senate Democrats Demand that the Senate Go to Court to Defend Americans’ Health Care Against Trump Administration Attacks
Washington, DC – President Trump recently joined Republican attorneys general and governors in 20 states to use the courts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and strike down protections for people with pre-existing conditions, women, and people over 50. In response, today, Democratic Senators Joe Manchin, Bob Casey, Claire McCaskill, Chuck Schumer, and Patty Murray introduced a resolution to demand the Senate go to court and defend our health care law and protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Brad Woodhouse, executive director of Protect Our Care, issued the following statement in response:
“Republicans have repeatedly said they care about people with pre-existing conditions, but every chance they get they turn a blind eye to the Trump Administration’s campaign to repeal protections for them in the law or, worse, they vote to take these protections away. Now, Republicans have a chance to make it right. The Trump administration has gone to court to try to strike down protections for the 130 million Americans with pre-existing conditions including cancer, diabetes and asthma. If Republicans in Congress won’t endorse this resolution, they will once again make clear they’re on the side of insurance companies, not Americans who work for a living. Thank goodness Democrats will not stop fighting for the protections that prevent insurance companies from jacking up premiums for people with pre-existing conditions — or denying us care altogether — because if Democrats stopped fighting, these protections would be long gone by now.”
BACKGROUND
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): “We must continue to prohibit insurers from discriminating against pre-existing conditions.” [Murkowski Remarks to Alaska State Legislature, 2/22/17]
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME): “My concern is to protect individuals with pre-existing conditions.” [Letter to Attorney General, 6/27/18]
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ): “The last thing we need to happen is to have people who have coverage now, to have that coverage that coverage yanked out from under them. Every plan that has been put forward that I will support continues to support those with pre-existing conditions having continued coverage. That’s important.” [Town Hall, 12:40-13:10, 4/13/2017]
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “Everybody I know in the Senate — everybody — is in favor of maintaining coverage for pre-existing conditions.” [Politico, 6/12/18]