[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 126 (Thursday, July 25, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S5076]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the 
Senate will be in morning business, with Senators permitted to speak 
therein for up to 10 minutes each.
  The Senator from Washington.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I come to the floor today to sound once 
again the alarm against Republicans' efforts to throw the lives of 
millions of families into chaos and uncertainty and to urge my 
colleagues to reverse course and join Democrats to protect people's 
healthcare before it is too late.
  A few weeks ago, President Trump and Republican attorneys general 
argued in court to create a healthcare crisis for families in our 
country. If Republicans win their blatantly partisan lawsuit, the 
consequences could be sweeping and devastating. Tens of millions of 
people who have healthcare coverage through Medicaid Expansion or the 
exchanges could lose it, as could many young adults who are on their 
parents' insurance.
  Over 100 million people with preexisting conditions could lose 
protections that stop insurance companies from charging them more, 
excluding benefits they need or denying them coverage entirely. 
Patients could lose protections that require insurers to cover 
essential health benefits like prescription drug costs, maternity care, 
emergency care, or mental healthcare and more. Limits on how much 
patients have to pay out of pocket could go away, while lifetime and 
annual caps on patients' benefits could come back even to those insured 
through their employers.
  Republicans have refused to acknowledge what is actually at stake now 
for the patients and families whose health they are putting at risk, 
and they have made it all too clear that despite the horrible 
consequences they are setting up, despite the lives they are throwing 
needlessly into jeopardy, Republicans are going to go full steam ahead 
with this reckless lawsuit to strike down healthcare for millions and 
without any plan to do anything if they win.
  Some Republicans have tried to dodge this fact by saying they will 
figure it out after they win. That is an incredibly telling and 
incredibly alarming position. It is about as comforting as an arsonist 
telling you he will rebuild your house after he burns it down.
  Let's be clear. Republicans have no plans for the patients who lose 
their coverage, no plans for the families who will see their healthcare 
costs go up, and no plans for people nationwide who rely on these 
protections for preexisting conditions that could be taken away. They 
have no plan for all the people who will be hurt by the damage they are 
fighting to cause, and families expect better. They deserve better.
  This is not rocket science. People want us to protect their 
healthcare, not take it away. They want us to bring healthcare costs 
down, not send them certainly higher. They want us to fight for them, 
not against them.
  Republicans have made the wrong choice time and again. So I call on 
my Republican colleagues to stop this chaos and work with us. Let's 
fight for patients before it is too late. The clock is ticking, and 
patients and families are watching closely. If Republicans in the Trump 
administration refuse to end this partisan lawsuit, families and 
patients will be the ones who suffer the consequences, and they will 
not forget the Republicans who stood by and cheered and let it happen.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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