[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 121 (Tuesday, July 18, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H5925]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          FIX IT, DON'T NIX IT

  (Mr. O'HALLERAN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. O'HALLERAN. Mr. Speaker, Arizonans I have spoken with are 
stressed and anxious as they watch politicians in Washington threaten 
to take away their health coverage.
  While the Senate's misguided repeal and replace proposal has been 
defeated, we cannot rest. The newest repeal plan is irresponsible and 
will endanger the health and well-being of my constituents. It will 
send premiums and coverage costs skyrocketing and slash funding for 
rural and Tribal health clinics, forcing them to close.
  There are 1.9 million Arizonans who rely on Medicaid and could be at 
risk of losing their coverage. Of those, more than 45,000 are Arizona 
veterans. More than 1 million Arizonans with preexisting conditions 
would lose vital protections that ensure they have access to affordable 
coverage.
  Mr. Speaker, these are our children, our loved ones, our families, 
and our friends. We cannot stand here and play politics with their 
health. We must work together to stabilize the insurance markets and 
develop a long-term solution that improves our healthcare system. We 
need to include the public in this discussion. We owe them a better 
plan.
  I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to fix it, not nix 
it.

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