SPRINGFIELD, MA-Ahead of this morning’s oral arguments in California v. Texas before the U.S. Supreme Court, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) released the following statement affirming the necessity of the Affordable Care Act (ACA):
“In a purely political move, the Trump Administration and Republicans are putting our entire health care system at risk in the middle of a global pandemic. The start of today’s oral arguments is a dangerous next step in Republicans’ attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act without any replacement plan, unnecessarily threatening the lives of millions of Americans.
“In the last decade, the ACA has fundamentally changed our country by expanding access to health care, and at every turn, Republicans have tried to claw back this progress. Over 130 million Americans with pre-existing health conditions are protected from discrimination and higher costs because of the law. States have expanded Medicaid, employers have offered more affordable care by utilizing the law’s tax credits, and we’ve made major investments in local and state public health systems that have been absolutely essential during the COVID crisis.
“Despite their best attempts to stack the deck in their favor, this law has already survived nearly 70 unsuccessful repeal attempts in Congress, and I am confident, as are the 21 attorneys general who are defending this case, that it will overcome this challenge as well. Americans are relying on their health care now more than ever, and Ways and Means Democrats remain committed to efforts that enhance the ACA."
