Washington, D.C. – One year ago today, 217 House Republicans voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The so-called “American Health Care Act” would have cut coverage, increased costs, and eliminated protections for millions of Americans. On the vote’s one-year anniversary, Protect Our Care Campaign Director Brad Woodhouse released the following statement:
“One year ago today, Congressional Republicans voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. They voted to kick 23 million Americans off of their health insurance, raise premiums by double-digits for every American, and jeopardize the health care of millions of women. They voted to once again allow insurance companies to discriminate against those with pre-existing conditions, cut coverage off by applying arbitrary lifetime caps, and refuse coverage for maternity care and substance abuse treatment. They voted to implement a $12,000 ‘age tax’ on seniors, take away a crucial lifeline for rural hospitals, and cut Medicaid by $1 trillion, a crippling blow to a program that insures 77 million Americans. And they did it all to give a $600 billion tax break to the wealthy and insurance and drug companies.
“In the face of pleas from constituents with serious medical conditions, advocacy from Americans whose lives have been saved by the ACA, and polls that showed the public opposed the bill by a 3-1 margin, House Republicans voted to kick 23 million Americans from their health care and then went to the White House to celebrate.
“A year later, we haven’t forgotten. In races across the country, from a Pennsylvania Congressional district Donald Trump won by twenty points to a Wisconsin state Senate seat Republicans had held since the turn of the century, health care has been cited as a top issue, carrying Democrats to victory. Dozens of House Republicans, including Speaker Paul Ryan, have announced their retirement. And Americans have made clear their frustration with Republicans’ war on our care will continue: rallies will take place today from coast to coast, voters of all political stripes are rejecting GOP repeal proposals, and candidates for federal, state, and local offices spurred to run because of last year’s vote are saying loud and clear: we won’t forget.”
PROTECT OUR CARE COMMEMORATES THE ANNIVERSARY:
- Retire Repeal Website. Protect Our Care today is launching a microsite, Retire Repeal – We Won’t Forget, to honor the House Republicans who voted to take health care away from their constituents and resigned or announced their retirement well before the end of their term.
- Events. Protect Our Care and partner groups will host over twenty events across the country, reminding GOP elected officials who supported repeal that voters will continue holding them accountable for their actions.