[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 41 (Thursday, March 9, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H1958]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       WHAT WE KNOW AND DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE GOP HEALTHCARE PLAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Takano) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to share with my 
constituents what we know about the Republican healthcare plan and, 
more importantly, what we don't know.
  We know that the Republican proposal to replace the Affordable Care 
Act will cut taxes for the wealthiest people in America.
  We know that it will eventually eliminate the Medicaid expansion, 
which is responsible for ensuring millions of Americans, including 
nearly 80,000 people in my district alone.
  We know that the GOP replacement plan shifts costs to seniors and 
low-income families while restricting women's access to reproductive 
health.
  We know that it is a windfall for the healthy and wealthy and a 
disaster for nearly everyone else.
  Now, this is what we know about the GOP healthcare plan, but perhaps 
more alarming is what we don't know. My Republican colleagues cannot 
answer the two most important questions about their proposal: How much 
will it cost and how many people will it cover?
  Mr. Speaker, Congress should not take any further action on this bill 
without knowing its impact on the budget and its consequences for the 
American people.
  I am stunned--stunned--that my Republican colleagues are planning to 
move forward on a plan that is, quite literally, a matter of life and 
death for millions of American families without knowing exactly what 
they are moving forward with.
  Mr. Speaker, in 2009 and 2010 when Democrats held a televised 
healthcare summit with Republican leaders, when the Senate HELP 
Committee marked up the Affordable Care Act over a full month and 
accepted 160 Republican amendments, and when the Senate Finance 
Committee held 31 meetings over 60 hours, even after that process, 
Republicans said that Democrats rammed the healthcare bill through 
Congress without reading it. Now the Republican majority is moving 
forward with their replacement plan without knowing what it costs and 
what it will mean for American families.
  This level of hypocrisy and recklessness is insulting to the American 
people, and it is dangerous for the future of our healthcare system.
  There is already plenty to dislike about what we know is in this 
bill. Who knows what we will find out when we uncover the rest.

                          ____________________