Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, condemned bad faith and cynical efforts by House Republicans to repeal the landmark and thoroughly constitutional Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

“Instead of fighting for good paying American jobs, Republicans are launching their 31^st attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act,” said Nadler.  “First, Republicans said the law was unconstitutional.  The Supreme Court said they were wrong.  Next, Republicans said the law was too expensive.  The Congressional Budget Office said they were wrong.  Now Republicans say the law will raise taxes on millions of middle class families.  The Urban Institute said they were wrong, estimating that a mere three percent of Americans under 65 would face the choice between purchasing insurance and paying a penalty.”

The following are Nadler’s floor remarks, as prepared:

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Republican’s 31^st effort repeal the Affordable Care Act. 

“Mr. Speaker, you don’t have to be a policy wonk to know that the U.S. economy is still struggling to rebound.  Millions of Americans – people with skills, people who make things – are unemployed or underemployed.  That this Congress has not spent every single day of the last year and half fighting to put people back to work is unconscionable.

“And now, instead of fighting for good paying American jobs, Republicans are launching their 31^st attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act.  First, Republicans said the law was unconstitutional.  The Supreme Court said they were wrong.  Next, Republicans said the law was too expensive.  The Congressional Budget Office said they were wrong.  Now Republicans say the law will raise taxes on millions of middle class families.  The Urban Institute said they were wrong, estimating that a mere three percent of Americans under 65 would face the choice between purchasing insurance and paying a penalty. 

“Mr. Speaker, let’s review what the Affordable Care Act does.  In addition to extending health insurance to 32 million more Americans, which will prevent the unnecessary deaths of 45,000 people who die each year because they lack insurance, several measures in the law are designed to ensure that no one goes broke because they get sick.  Today, 55 percent of personal bankruptcies are caused by health care emergencies.  Shockingly, 75 percent of these bankruptcies happen to people who had health insurance that proved inadequate to cover an expensive disease like cancer.  But, by preventing insurance companies from denying coverage for preexisting conditions, and preventing them from imposing annual or lifetime caps on coverage, we can ensure no middle class family goes broke because someone gets sick. 

“Because of the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies will be stopped from denying coverage to those with pre-existing conditions, and stopped from instilling annual or lifetime coverage caps.  Insurance companies will be prevented from discriminating against women by charging them higher rates than men for the same services or denying them coverage all together because pregnancy, or C-section, or domestic violence are treated as preexisting conditions.  And young people up to 26 can stay on their parents insurance. 

“For America’s seniors, the Affordable Care Act strengthens the Medicare program, closes the donut hole, and extends no-cost preventive services.   

“This law even holds great promise for America’s small business owners who will be eligible for billions of dollars in tax credits to help them provide health coverage to their employees – employees these businesses want to keep and invest in.   

“While being a tremendous leap forward, we know that no law is perfect.  When our predecessors passed similarly historic laws, such as Social Security in 1935, and Medicare and Medicaid in 1965, they knew the measures would require further consideration.  In the years since those crucially important programs were signed into law, Congress has made, and will continue to make, improvements to those programs.  And that is the key – to make improvements to the law.  But Republicans continue to divert our time and attention from the problems we actually need to solve – like fixing our economy and creating jobs – so they can take a sledgehammer to a law that will reduce the deficit and create jobs.   

“Mr. Speaker, our fellow citizens may be asking themselves, “Well, if we repeal the Affordable Care Act, what is the Republican plan to stem the ever-rising cost of health care in this country and to reduce my out-of-pocket health costs?  What is the Republican plan to help millions more Americans gain access to health insurance so I don’t have to foot the bill for freeloaders?  What is the Republican plan to end discrimination in the insurance market for women, for those with preexisting conditions, for those who are sick and are going broke because of medical bills, for those who die because of lack of care?” 

“Unfortunately, all we hear is crickets.  Because the simple truth is that the Republicans have no plan.  Unless, of course, you count the fact that the individual mandate was the Republican alternative to President Clinton’s health care plan in the 1990s, and was Governor Mitt Romney’s signature achievement in Massachusetts until the issue became a matter of political gamesmanship against President Obama and the Democrats. 

“Mr. Speaker, I am urging my Republican colleagues to do something new, to try something novel.  Instead of going to their familiar well of election-year politics and a steady stream of NO, NO, NO, let’s try to work together.  If there’s something you think could be improved upon, let’s improve it.  If you want to evaluate whether we could do better, let’s sit down and do it.  But let’s not turn a blind eye on the problem and hope it goes away. 

“I urge all my colleagues to vote NO so we can move on to fighting for American jobs, and I yield back my time.”

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