[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 345 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 345

 Urging the President to faithfully carry out the Affordable Care Act.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 19, 2017

    Mr. Cicilline (for himself, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Neal, Mr. Scott of 
 Virginia, and Mr. Yarmuth) submitted the following resolution; which 
 was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition 
  to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Urging the President to faithfully carry out the Affordable Care Act.

Whereas 12.2 million Americans obtained health insurance through the 
        marketplaces under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (in 
        this resolution referred to as the ``Affordable Care Act'') in 2017 and 
        are depending on that coverage;
Whereas under the Affordable Care Act more than 20 million Americans gained 
        health coverage;
Whereas under the Affordable Care Act 105 million Americans with employer or 
        individual market coverage no longer have a lifetime limit on their 
        health coverage;
Whereas under the Affordable Care Act an estimated 2.3 million young adults have 
        benefitted from the provision allowing individuals to stay on their 
        parents' health coverage up to age 26;
Whereas under the Affordable Care Act 137 million Americans have benefitted from 
        the provision requiring health plans to cover preventive services at no 
        extra cost to the consumer;
Whereas under the Affordable Care Act 16.2 million more Americans have Medicaid 
        coverage than before the law's major coverage provisions took effect;
Whereas nearly 30 percent of those gaining coverage through the law's Medicaid 
        expansion have a mental illness or substance use disorder;
Whereas under the Affordable Care Act the share of hospital expenses 
        attributable to uncompensated care fell by more than a quarter from 2013 
        to 2015, reducing hospital uncompensated care costs by an estimated 
        $10.4 billion in 2015;
Whereas under the Affordable Care Act nearly 12 million Medicare beneficiaries 
        have saved more than $26.8 billion total, or an average of more than 
        $2,000 per beneficiary, on prescription drugs;
Whereas under the Affordable Care Act all health insurance in the individual 
        market now covers ten essential health benefits, including mental health 
        and substance use disorder services, prescription drugs, and maternity 
        and newborn care;
Whereas since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, the solvency of 
        Medicare's Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund has been extended 11 
        years, putting the program on more sound financial footing;
Whereas under the Affordable Care Act up to 129 million Americans with 
        preexisting conditions can no longer be denied health insurance or 
        charged more for coverage;
Whereas the Affordable Care Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by 
        President Obama on March 23, 2010;
Whereas section 3 of article II of the Constitution sets forth that the 
        President ``shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed''; and
Whereas the Speaker of the House of Representatives has stated that ``Obamacare 
        is the law of the land'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) urges the President to honor his duties under article 
        II of the Constitution to take care that the laws be faithfully 
        executed by--
                    (A) ensuring cost sharing reduction payments under 
                the Affordable Care Act are paid;
                    (B) enforcing the individual shared responsibility 
                provisions under the Affordable Care Act;
                    (C) working with States and insurers to make sure 
                that consumers everywhere have options; and
                    (D) providing adequate funding for healthcare.gov 
                and for outreach and grants to Navigators under the 
                Affordable Care Act; and
            (2) discourages the President from using executive actions 
        to undermine the Affordable Care Act.
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