Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Before Critical Vote To Extend ACA Subsidies And Avert A Health Care Disaster
Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor, ahead of dueling health care votes, calling on Senate Republicans to join Democrats and pass a clean extension of ACA tax credits and protect tens of millions of American families who could face skyrocketing premiums on January 1st. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks:
Today is D-day—Decision Day—for Republican senators.
Will Republicans side with the American people and avert the disastrous impending health care crisis? Or will they abandon American families as premiums shoot through the roof come January 1st?
In a few moments, the Senate will vote on two bills: the Republican bill and Democrats’ clean, simple extension of the ACA tax credits. I say to my Republican colleagues—our bill is the last train to leave the station. It is the only realistic option before the Senate today that solves the health care crisis.
If Republicans don’t climb aboard, there won’t be another chance to act before premiums skyrocket next year. Republicans have dithered long enough. Democrats are fighting for lower costs for the American people, while Republicans are fighting among themselves.
And let me say this about the Republican bill: The Republican bill is not true health care reform. It is not a health care plan whatsoever—it is junk insurance. The Republican bill is simply junk insurance.
For a while, it looked like Republicans wouldn’t put up a bill at all. But after that became too embarrassing an option for them, they used scotch-tape and glue to come up with this ridiculous proposal that can’t be taken seriously. The Republican plan does nothing—nothing—to extend the tax credits for even a day. Our bill, of course, extends them for three years.
Under the Republican plan, the big idea is essentially to hand people about $80 a month and wish them good luck and say you're on your own, no matter what happens. And even to qualify for that check, Americans would be forced onto bare-bones bronze plans with sky-high deductibles—$7,000 or $10,000 for an individual, and tens of thousands for a couple. So, the deductibles are so high that even that is not paid for by the $80 a month. And then Americans are stuck and have nothing. The Republican plan is a “when-you-get-sick-you-go-broke” plan.
The only answer, the only right answer, to solve this crisis is what Democrats propose today: a clean, simple extension of current tax credits. Our bill is the only plan that halts premiums from shooting through the roof.
And as Americans know, this is not a symbolic vote—this is a life and death vote for millions of people wondering if they will be able to afford health insurance next year. Millions will lose health insurance, tens of millions will have to change plans and doctors and get high deductibles and high copayments that they can hardly afford if we don’t do this.
So, America is counting on us, the Senate. Republicans—America is counting on you to do the right thing and vote yes on our bill.
A yes vote on our bill means premiums will not double or triple or more starting January 1st. A yes vote means lower costs for the American people, and greater help for them to pay for the things they need. A yes vote means dignity, security, and peace of mind for tens of millions of American families. It means our health care system averts a disaster.
There is only one right thing to do, and that’s for Republicans to vote yes on our bill. The American people will not forget which way Senators vote today.
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