[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 21, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E709]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 45, REPEAL OF PATIENT PROTECTION 
                        AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 16, 2013

  Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, the GOP needs to reorder its priorities. 
The American people want us to focus on jobs and strengthening our 
economy, instead of relitigating the past. Today is the 37th time the 
majority has taken up repealing patient protections for the American 
people. This is a very bad idea.
   Since January 2011, the House has been in session and held votes on 
only 281 days. Forty-three of those days have been spent on repealing 
the Affordable Care Act alone. That's 15 percent of the American 
people's time spent solely on failed attempts to repeal the Affordable 
Care Act.
   For the party that's seeking to cut their way to prosperity, 
consider this: based on the cost per day to run Congress, the 
Congressional Research Service calculated that the time spent 
attempting to repeal the health law has come with a $52.4 million price 
tag for taxpayers. This money could restore the estimated $41 million 
cut under sequestration to Meals on Wheels nutrition programs across 
the country. Or it could pay for nearly 7,000 children to participate 
in the Head Start program for a year.
   Now, consider the benefits the American people have enjoyed since 
the Affordable Care Act became law: children no longer face 
discrimination due to pre-existing conditions; students and young 
adults are gaining coverage through their parents' plans; Medicare is 
stronger, and seniors are paying less for prescription drugs and 
getting better treatment at lower cost; Americans no longer face 
lifetime limits; families are receiving rebates from insurance 
companies; and women have access to a wide range of free preventive 
services.
  Since the law was enacted in March 2010, over 800,000 jobs have been 
created in the health care industry. So when the GOP says the 
Affordable Care Act is ``killing jobs,'' it's flat out wrong.
   Repealing the Affordable Care Act would leave millions of Americans 
without vital patient protections and has cost the American people 
precious time and money. We should instead vote for legislation to 
create jobs, expand our economy, and strengthen the middle class.

                          ____________________