WASHINGTON, DC - House Ways and Means Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA), House Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and House Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. “Bobby" Scott (D-VA) released the following joint statement today after President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order reaffirming the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) pre-existing condition protections:
“This executive order is a shameless election year stunt. If President Trump and his Republican allies were serious about protecting the more than 130 million people with pre-existing conditions, then they would drop their ongoing lawsuit to overturn the ACA and its consumer protections. The lawsuit is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court on Nov. 10, and now President Trump and Senate Republicans are attempting to jam through a Supreme Court nominee to overturn the ACA.
“Over the past decade, Republicans have never put forward a plan that protects individuals with pre-existing conditions and have repeatedly attempted to undo this critical piece of the law. Now, the President is trying to dupe the American people and take credit for the very protections President Obama signed into law more than ten years ago.
“The President should be focused on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic that’s now claimed more than 200,000 American lives and negotiating a relief package. Instead, he’s signing gimmicky executive orders hoping the American people don’t see behind the curtain."
