WASHINGTON, DC - House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) spoke on the Floor in support of a resolution introduced by Rep. Colin Allred (TX-32) condemning the Trump Administration’s sabotage of the Affordable Care Act. Below is a link to the video and excerpts from his remarks:   "…[The American people] want Congress… to work to improve and make our health care system work better for all Americans, and, yes, have it affordable and accessible.  Instead, President Trump and Republicans have doubled down and tripled down on their agenda of sabotaging the law through executive actions on an almost weekly, monthly basis through executive actions and through lawsuits, like the one now pending in Texas.”

“…All this resolution does is express the sense of this House that such efforts are wrong and would harm tens of millions of Americans who benefit from the ACA.  This includes 133 million or more Americans living with pre-existing conditions like asthma, diabetes, cancer, etc., etc., etc., who are protected in their ability to get health insurance.  The actions taken by President Trump, however, and Republicans, would make these individuals uninsurable, forcing them and their families into financial hardship in order to pay for medical bills.”

“By joining the Texas lawsuit, the Trump Administration is seeking to allow women to be charged higher premiums than men, as they used to be; seeks to allow lifetime annual limits on coverage, which the Affordable Care Act banned; and, in addition, it’s trying to force Americans under age twenty-six to get coverage on their own, even if they don't have a job yet and they’re still in college. Preventive health visits and screenings would once more require out-of-pocket co-pays. Plans would no longer be required to cover essential health benefits... such as maternity care or prescription drugs.”

“I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me and others in supporting Representative Allred’s resolution in expressing bipartisan opposition to the Trump Administration's efforts…This vote will show every single American where his or her Representative stands on the question, which is so consequential to the everyday lives of millions and millions of Americans.”

“Vote for this resolution and tell the American people: when you said on the campaign trail ‘I’m for pre-existing conditions,’ you meant it.  When you said there were other protections that you wanted to keep in the bill, you meant it.  And if you do, you will vote for this resolution and send a message.”