[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 10764-10765]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         HEALTHCARE LEGISLATION

  Mr. PETERS. Madam President, as public servants, I have always 
thought it is our duty to serve with dignity, integrity, and fairness 
to the best of our abilities. No matter where you are from or how we 
got here, the citizens of our States have sent us to Washington with 
the hope that we will do what is best for them. We hold the public's 
trust, and that is something that should guide us in everything we do.
  Last week, I was home in Michigan for the Fourth of July. My family 
and other Michiganders celebrated and honored those who had fought for 
our independence and those who continue to defend our sacred freedom. 
Our American democracy is rooted in the promise of freedom and equal 
opportunity for every American. Our resilient Nation has persevered 
because of shared commitment to do what is right, even if we don't 
always agree on how to get there.
  While home last week I had the opportunity to speak to many 
Michiganders and hear what was on their mind. They had a whole range of 
topics on their mind, but the No. 1 issue I heard was about the 
proposed Republican healthcare bill. Some were angry, some were 
confused, but most were simply scared. They are scared for their 
children, they are scared for their spouses, they are scared for their 
aging parents, and many are scared about what this bill could mean for 
their own health and well-being.
  I wish to highlight a few of the stories shared with me in recent 
days. Susan from Clawson, MI, shared her unfortunate story about when 
she fell on hard times, unexpectedly lost her small business and with 
it her income.
  Susan, despite all of her hard work in the past, no longer had the 
resources to obtain private health insurance. During this time--and it 
was an extremely stressful time--she also discovered she had an 
unidentified lump on her breast. Through some research and the help of 
friends, Susan was able to enroll in Medicaid and get the treatment for 
what she discovered was a very aggressive but treatable form of cancer.
  Without Medicaid, Susan may not have gotten the treatment she needed 
and may have lost her life. Nobody takes pleasure in sharing such 
deeply personal stories, but Susan wants to be sure anyone that who 
finds themselves in such a difficult position has the support she had.
  I appreciate her bravery in beating cancer and her willingness to 
share this very personal experience.
  Alayna from Southfield, MI, shared that she was diagnosed with a rare 
tumor almost a year ago. Alayna serves as a minister of music in her 
church in downtown Detroit and enjoys working with children through 
various local programs. Alayna works part time and her husband works 
full time, often 70 hours per week. Neither has healthcare benefits 
through their employers.
  Alayna and her husband were able to obtain coverage through the ACA 
marketplace, a plan she would not have been able to purchase without 
the Affordable Care Act. Alayna is rightfully terrified by the 
Republican plan and said she would probably be dead without the 
affordable coverage she received under the Affordable Care Act, leaving 
her husband and her 5-year-old daughter behind.
  Matt, from Waterford, was unable to get health insurance before the 
ACA due to two preexisting conditions. After obtaining healthcare 
through the

[[Page 10765]]

Affordable Care Act, he discovered one of his preexisting conditions 
had led to cancer in his digestive tract. Matt is convinced the ACA 
literally saved his life and that he would not have been able to afford 
the care he needs otherwise.
  Hearing the stories of Matt, Susan, Alayna, and countless other 
Michiganders like them, I feel the need to remind this body that these 
individuals are our neighbors. They are husbands and wives and fathers 
and mothers. Illnesses or emergencies can happen to anyone. Ministers 
get sick. Students get sick. Small business owners get sick.
  Matt didn't choose to be born with a preexisting condition, Susan 
didn't ask for breast cancer, and Alayna's tumor could have been on any 
one of us.
  Last week, we honored our country's fight for independence, our 
Nation's brave Founders, and all who have sacrificed to build our 
Nation by working toward a more perfect union to ensure America is the 
land of opportunity for all.
  The healthcare bill Republicans have written goes against the very 
values we honor and cherish. It does not bring us closer to opportunity 
for all. When the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office concludes 
that the Republican bill will leave millions of people uninsured, that 
should send a strong signal to all of us that we need to go back to the 
drawing board.
  About an hour ago, my Republican colleagues released additional last-
minute changes to their healthcare bill, intended to win over a few 
more votes within their party--changes that were drafted behind closed 
doors and without input from the American public, the very people we 
represent. In their rush to get this bill done quickly, my colleagues 
have not fully considered how this proposal will impact their 
constituents.
  Healthcare stakeholders and our Nation's insurers have told 
Republicans this latest change will still cause premiums for older 
Americans and those with preexisting conditions to skyrocket. It will 
still increase the number of Americans without health insurance by 
millions.
  We should be working on bipartisan legislation that will truly 
improve our healthcare system by increasing insurance coverage while 
bringing down cost, not forcing a vote next week on legislation that is 
seriously flawed.
  I ask my Republican colleagues to listen to their fellow Americans, 
Americans who are scared of what this bill will mean for them and for 
their families. I ask my Republican colleagues to listen to the people 
calling their office every single day and even traveling here to 
Washington, DC, to speak out against this bill. I ask my colleagues to 
listen to the independent experts and healthcare stakeholders who have 
said, in no uncertain terms, that this bill will cost millions of 
people their health insurance and could cost thousands of Americans 
their very lives.
  I ask my colleagues to remember why they came to Washington in the 
first place. I ask my colleagues to step back and ask themselves some 
tough questions. Will this bill help people or will it hurt people? 
What will this bill mean for rural hospitals in their State, for 
lifesaving addiction treatments, for preventive care that saves lives 
and taxpayer dollars? Does this bill hold true to the important 
American values of fairness, freedom, and equal opportunity for all?
  If the answer to any of these questions is no, we should scrap this 
bill, start over, and work together, in a bipartisan way, to bring down 
healthcare costs and improve the quality of care available to every 
American, no matter who they are or where they live.
  I yield the floor.

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