[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 2774-2775]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

  Mr. REID. Madam President, on another subject, last Thursday, the 
Department of Health and Human Services released updated statistics 
about the number of Americans who now have health insurance. This is 
ObamaCare. The numbers are incredible.
  Since enactment of the Affordable Care Act, 20 million Americans have 
gained health care coverage--20 million; 6.1 million adults, ages 19 to 
25, now have health insurance.
  Remember, it wasn't long ago that everyone said they wouldn't sign 
up. Now, 6.1 million have. Before we passed ObamaCare, some 50 million 
people in this Nation were without health care. Now, because of the 
Affordable Care Act, 91 percent of Americans are now insured. That is 
stunning. It is only getting better. Every day, more and more people 
who were previously without health insurance are now covered. That is 
true across racial and ethnic lines.
  Listen to these stunning statistics. The uninsured rate for African 
Americans has dropped by more than 50 percent. That is the equivalent 
of 3 million newly insured people. The uninsured rate for Hispanics 
dropped by more than 25 percent, representing 4 million insured 
Americans.
  The evidence is clear: The Affordable Care Act is working. From 
Nevada to Kentucky, our constituents are getting the quality health 
care they were promised when Congress passed the Affordable Care Act. 
It is time for Republicans to stop following Donald Trump's lead by 
clamoring for repeal.
  It is really nervy for Republicans to come down here, as they do all 
the time in the Senate--they have been quiet lately--and as they do on 
the campaign trail. This large number of Republicans, which is narrow, 
still all say the same thing: The American people should listen to what 
we are saying;

[[Page 2775]]

we have to get rid of the Affordable Care Act. We have to get rid of 
it.
  How disappointing. It is time for Republicans to face the facts. 
ObamaCare is helping tens of millions of Americans and will continue to 
do so.
  Madam President, I ask the Chair to announce the business of the day.

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