[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 52 (Tuesday, March 26, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1950-S1951]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                               Healthcare

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, last night, President Trump's Justice 
Department issued a letter to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals 
calling for the elimination of healthcare coverage for tens of millions 
of Americans.
  Up until last night, the Trump administration had said one aspect of 
the Affordable Care Act was unconstitutional, but last night, the 
Department of Justice declared that the entire law and all of its vital 
healthcare protections must go.
  Make no mistake about it--this is an escalation of the Trump 
administration's and Republicans' attacks on protections for people 
with preexisting conditions. All the protestations for keeping 
preexisting conditions--President Trump said it as recently as this 
past campaign--out the window. This court case says get rid of 
preexisting conditions, and the Trump administration is pursuing the 
case. What are they saying to the 52 million Americans who are 
dependent on protections for preexisting conditions? What are President 
Trump and his Justice Department saying to a mom whose son or daughter 
has cancer and the insurance company says ``We are not covering it'' 
and they have to watch their child suffer because they can't afford it?
  The move by the Trump administration is a slap in the face to 
American families, a devastating blow to Republicans who promised to 
protect people with preexisting conditions. How many of our Republican 
colleagues will go to the floor today and condemn the Trump 
administration? I will bet, not one. I will bet, not one. I hope I am 
wrong, but I will bet, not one.
  In two short sentences, the Trump administration crystalized its 
position that the healthcare coverage enjoyed by nearly 20 million 
people, as well as the protections for tens of millions more with 
preexisting conditions, should be annihilated. That is now the official 
position, full stop. And the Trump position ties a 2-year anchor around 
the neck of every Republican for the next 2 years. Yet again, they will 
be forced to defend the indefensible. It is a stark reminder of the 
difference between our two parties. Democrats are fighting to expand 
and improve healthcare coverage and lower costs, while Republicans are 
trying to take it all away and raise costs.
  The bottom line: From the moment this administration and this 
Republican majority came to power, they waged a wholesale attack on our 
healthcare system. They have pushed policies that would rip away 
people's healthcare coverage, spike their premiums and prescription 
drugs costs, slap older Americans with an age tax, and reverse 
protections for people with preexisting conditions like cancer, asthma, 
and diabetes.
  Democrats condemn, in the strongest possible terms, this attack 
against the American people and demand we take action to protect our 
healthcare.

[[Page S1951]]

  I know that the administration is very happy with the Mueller report, 
and so are our Republican friends. This move by the Trump 
administration to take away healthcare will prove far more detrimental 
to the administration and the Republican Party than any gains they 
might have made by the issuance of Mr. Barr's letter. Mark my words. It 
is far more important to the American people--far more important to the 
American people--because it involves their lives and the lives of their 
families. The Trump administration is hurting them badly.