[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 26, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H5176]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
                   PROTECTING PREEXISTING CONDITIONS

  (Mr. HIMES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HIMES. Mr. Speaker, one of the proudest moments of my career in 
this Chamber was the passage of the Affordable Care Act, not because it 
was perfect--it wasn't--but because it changed the lives for the better 
of tens of millions of Americans. Now, of course, we are threatened 
with repeal.
  Mr. Speaker, here is what repeal would look like by the numbers. 
Overturning the ACA would raise the number of uninsured people in the 
United States by 20 to 21 million people. Due to preexisting 
conditions, more than 100 million Americans could face higher health 
insurance premiums or the possibility that they might not get insured 
at all.
  Now, remember, as you consider the claim from my Republican friends 
that they will preserve preexisting condition coverage, remember that 
they promised for 10 years to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and they 
didn't do it. Then they promised to repeal and replace the Affordable 
Care Act, and they didn't do it. So when they promise to preserve 
preexisting conditions, take that with a grain of salt.
  But this is not just about the numbers. This is about real people in 
my district. People like Tom, who was able to start his own business 
once insurance didn't tie him to his job, or Robert, who was forced 
into bankruptcy by healthcare costs, but doesn't have to fear that 
anymore because of the Affordable Care Act.
  Mr. Speaker, I do not exaggerate when I say that repealing or 
striking down the Affordable Care Act would be a tragedy of enormous 
proportions. I ask all of my colleagues to join the fight to protect 
Americans' healthcare.

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