[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 489-490]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   CONCUR IN THE SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 3762--RESTORING AMERICANS' 
             HEALTHCARE FREEDOM RECONCILIATION ACT OF 2015

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MARK DeSAULNIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 13, 2016

  Mr. DeSAULNIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my strong opposition 
to the Senate amended budget reconciliation bill.
  This vote represents House Republicans' 62nd attempt to repeal the 
Affordable Care Act (ACA). It's also the 11th vote to attack women's 
health care in the 114th Congress alone. This reconciliation package 
will undermine important patients' rights and take away critical 
benefits from Americans.
  As we know, the Affordable Care Act has provided health security to 
nearly 18 million previously uninsured Americans since enacted in 2010. 
Nearly 9.9 million Americans have enrolled in the health insurance 
marketplaces, with millions more enrolled in expanded Medicaid 
programs, including an estimated 2.3 million in California alone.
  In addition to repealing the ACA Medicaid coverage expansion, this 
bill eliminates ACA tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies for 
households with modest incomes. This poorly conceived bill terminates 
ACA tax credits available to small businesses, and undermines important 
community-based programs in the Prevention and Public Health Fund.
  Overall, the Congressional Budget Office estimates this bill will 
take affordable health coverage away from 22 million Americans after 
2017, without providing a workable alternative to help Americans secure 
health care coverage.
  Additionally, the reconciliation package puts women's health at risk 
by defunding Planned Parenthood, a provider serving millions of men and 
women throughout the country, and in some cases serves as the only 
provider within a given community. Planned Parenthood offers preventive 
services to millions of women, such as screenings for cancer and 
sexually transmitted infections, and family planning services.
  Mr. Speaker, this ill-conceived reconciliation bill increases the 
number of uninsured Americans and puts women's health at risk. I 
strongly oppose this measure that will harm my constituents and prevent 
millions of Americans from accessing affordable health care.

[[Page 490]]



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