[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 153 (Monday, September 25, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5877-S5878]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                               Healthcare

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, the debate over healthcare can be very 
confusing. Last night, a tweaked third version of this year's third 
bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act was released. This is after 
several dozens of votes taken in Congress on this very same issue since 
2010.
  There is no question--the debate over healthcare has been exhausting. 
Our Nation's disability advocates, patients, doctors, and anyone with a 
preexisting condition have spent this past year on high alert, waiting 
on a razor's edge for the next time they would need to plead with 
Republicans in Congress not to take away their healthcare.
  Healthcare is a very complex subject, but rather than engaging in 
thoughtful, bipartisan debate, my colleagues on the other side of the 
aisle are rushing to pass something--anything--even if they don't know 
the details.
  What we do know about this bill is that millions of people will lose 
their healthcare. Why? Because Republicans in Congress are facing a 
deadline of September 30 to use an arcane, expedited procedure that 
will let them repeal the Affordable Care Act with a simple majority of 
the Senate. My Republican colleagues are in such a rush that they don't 
even want to wait until we get a nonpartisan analysis from the 
Congressional Budget Office. I believe they don't want to wait because 
they know the budget analysis will make it very clear that this is a 
very bad bill.
  Although the healthcare debate is often confusing, exhausting, and 
complex, I think we should focus on just one very simple concept: No 
one in this great country of ours should ever go bankrupt because they 
get sick.
  Let me repeat that. No one should ever go bankrupt because they get 
sick.
  Every American, no matter what ZIP Code they live in, should be able 
to have affordable, quality healthcare.
  As I stand here today, we don't know what version of the Affordable 
Care Act repeal we will be voting on later this week, but some things 
are virtually certain: Michiganders will be forced to pay more for less 
healthcare; costs for older Americans will increase dramatically; 
insurance companies will once again be free to discriminate against 
individuals with preexisting conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, and 
heart disease; and even if policies are available, Michiganders will 
never be able to afford them.
  This last-ditch effort to meet an artificial deadline is not 
thoughtful, measured or kind; it is messy, rushed, and cruel.
  The Affordable Care Act is not perfect, and nobody here is saying 
that it is, but while we are spending this week debating yet another 
repeal bill, we are wasting time that should be spent on improving our 
healthcare system for all Americans. We need to reauthorize the 
Children's Health Insurance Program, which expires at the end of this 
week. If it is not reauthorized, it could jeopardize care for over 
100,000 children in my State alone. We need to also act quickly to 
support community health centers, which face the same funding deadline 
and serve as the primary healthcare home for nearly 700,000 
Michiganders. What we need is a truly bipartisan process to improve the 
Affordable Care Act, while keeping what works in place.
  The legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act before us this week 
will jeopardize care for individuals with preexisting conditions and 
increase costs for older Americans who are already living on a fixed 
income. I heard from countless Michigan veterans, small business 
owners, hard-working parents with children, and many others who will be 
hurt by the proposals in this Republican bill. My constituents are 
fearful that they will be forced to choose between going without the 
care they need or facing potential bankruptcy over the costs.
  I will say it again. No one in America should ever go bankrupt 
because they get sick. Every American should be able to afford quality 
healthcare, and I will continue fighting to ensure we never go back to 
the days when families had to face impossible choices.
  This bill is simply wrong. It is wrong on policy, it is wrong on 
process, and it is wrong for millions of Michiganders who are worried 
about their families' healthcare.
  I urge my Republican colleagues to end this misguided repeal fight 
once and for all so that we can come together on a bipartisan basis and 
make healthcare work for each and every American.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.

[[Page S5878]]

  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Moran). The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________