[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 74 (Tuesday, May 8, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H3789]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                     MAKE HEALTHCARE INSURANCE WORK

  (Mr. KILDEE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, it was a year ago this very day that 
Republicans in this House voted to eliminate healthcare for millions of 
Americans, something we knew at that point, if it went through, would 
increase premiums on millions of other Americans that still had 
coverage. And after that vote, they all boarded a bus and went over to 
the White House for a big celebration.
  Thankfully, that bill never became law, because had it become law, 
people would not have been protected with health insurance if they had 
a preexisting condition. There would have been a terrible age tax 
imposed on people ages 50-64. It would have been a massive step in the 
wrong direction.
  Despite the fact that that legislation did not become law, we are 
still seeing premium increases because of the undermining of the law of 
the land. The Affordable Care Act has been undermined by the Trump 
administration and by action by this Congress, and because of that, we 
are seeing premium increases again.
  Forever, we heard from the other side criticisms of premium increases 
that were more in line with inflation in healthcare. Now, in Michigan, 
we see a 28-percent increase under this administration. Where is the 
outrage?
  We ought to work together to fix the problem. The Affordable Care Act 
is not perfect. I am the first to admit it. Let's stop undermining the 
law and make it work.

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