Fighting Back – Patty Murray: “Democrats believe health care is a right — not a privilege.”

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Found on the Internets …

The Weekly Democratic Party Address was delivered by Senator Patty Murray from Washington state:

Senator Patty Murray

Nobody knows what this week will bring just yet. But we do know that President Trump and Republican Leader McConnell are doing everything they can to jam their mean bill through Congress. They don’t care about the fact that families’ premiums would skyrocket. They don’t care about the tens of millions of people who would be kicked off of coverage. They are simply desperate for a hollow, political win—no matter what price patients and families would have to pay. […]

We believe health care is a right — not a privilege—and we are ready to keep working to make that goal a reality. And now, it’s time for Republicans to step up and join us, so that we can get to work on policies that help make people healthier and more financially secure. That’s what patients and families expect and that’s what I hope Republicans will finally work with us to deliver.

(CSPAN link to Weekly Democratic Address: here)

(Link to Nancy Pelosi Newsroom here)

Transcript: Democratic Weekly Address: 7-21-2017

Hello, everyone. I’m here to talk with you today about one of the toughest fights we’re in right now—the fight to stop Trump Care.

I’ve been so inspired by the stories we’ve heard from people across the country, from all walks of life. Parents and seniors. Republicans and Democrats. People of all ages—even toddlers!

Your voices matter. You are having an incredible impact. And we need you to keep up to it, because we haven’t stopped Trump Care yet.

Nobody knows what this week will bring just yet. But we do know that President Trump and Republican Leader McConnell are doing everything they can to jam their mean bill through Congress. They don’t care about the fact that families’ premiums would skyrocket. They don’t care about the tens of millions of people who would be kicked off of coverage. They are simply desperate for a hollow, political win—no matter what price patients and families would have to pay.

It’s wrong, and it really does not have to be this way. For years Democrats have urged Republicans to drop the partisan political attacks related to health care and instead, join us to work on policies that actually help the people we serve, by making health care more affordable, getting more people covered, and continuing to improve quality of care.

Guess what? We’re still at the table. We are ready to get to work right away, and there are only a few simple steps Republicans need to take to show they are serious about moving our health care system in the right direction for families.

First, drop Trump Care and the partisan, political effort to fully repeal the Affordable Care Act. Because families have roundly rejected Trump Care—that couldn’t be clearer.

Second, stop sabotaging the health care system in ways that raise families’ costs and create uncertainty. Since day one of the Trump Administration, the President of the United States himself has not only rooted for the failure of the health care system, he’s actively pursued it. That’s simply wrong. It is raising families’ costs and limiting their choices. So Republicans have got to start cleaning up the mess they made.

And third, it’s time for Republicans to tell us their ideas. Look, let’s be honest, Trump Care isn’t a health care bill, because what health care bill leaves families paying more and kicks tens of millions of people off of coverage? This bill was always about giving President Trump a hollow political win and handing massive tax breaks to special interests.

Democrats have put forward our ideas to stabilize markets and lower premiums next year for families, give people more choices, expand coverage, and more.

We believe health care is a right—not a privilege—and we are ready to keep working to make that goal a reality. And now, it’s time for Republicans to step up and join us, so that we can get to work on policies that help make people healthier and more financially secure. That’s what patients and families expect and that’s what I hope Republicans will finally work with us to deliver.

Thank you again for speaking out against Trump Care and all the harm it would do to patients and families nationwide. You are the reason President Trump hasn’t signed his awful bill into law yet, and we’re only days away from making sure he doesn’t ever get the chance.

Democrats will be fighting right alongside you. Let’s keep it up

Any bolding has been added.

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Leader Nancy Pelosi’s weekly news conference on Thursday:

Transcript: Transcript of Pelosi Press Conference

Leader Pelosi. Good morning, everyone. Some guests with us here today. Very honored to be here with our Ranking Members on the Committees that are dealing with the health care legislation. Representative [Frank] Pallone of New Jersey, Ranking Member on the Energy and Commerce Committee. Mr. [Richard] Neal, Ranking Member on the Ways and Means Committee. Representative [Bobby] Scott, Ranking Member on the Education and the Workforce Committee. And Mr. [John] Yarmuth, Ranking Member on the Budget Committee.

All of these Committees had a role in shaping the Affordable Care Act. All of these Committees and our Members, Democratic Members, have a role in protecting our care. So I am honored that they are here.

We of course all were struck by the news this morning and last night about Senator [John] McCain and send him our prayers. I am a big believer in the power of prayer. So I have great confidence. Over the years, one of things I always remember him saying to all of us, under any circumstances, was, ‘Keep on fighting.’ And I know that’s what he will do, to keep on fighting.

I was just sharing with my colleagues, at 10:30 I had a conversation with our colleague [Rep.] Steve Scalise, who sounds wonderful. And I just told him about our prayers for him, our hopes for his recovery, but not sooner than he really is recovered, not to come back any sooner. And of course we try to comfort his wife, Jennifer, children Harrison and Madison. But their strength is a comfort to the rest of us, in any event.

So here we are, six months to the day when the President was inaugurated. We are here with no jobs bill, no infrastructure bill, no tax reform legislation, no plan to avert the debt default. It is just one of the most miserable six months, unproductive six months of any presidency that I can think of.

Instead, the Republicans have spent all of their time trying to raise America’s health costs and reduce the ability for Americans to have the financial and health security that we owe them.

We are here today as those who had fought for the Affordable Care Act, and we are very proud that more than 20 million people, additional people, have access to affordable care and insurance. The protections, no lifetime limits, children can be on their parents’ policy, no denying of coverage for preexisting condition, no longer being a woman is a preexisting condition. I would say it’s really important to recognize all of the benefits of it.

And since ACA [Affordable Care Act], health care costs have grown at the slowest rate on record. The life of the Medicare Trust Fund has been extended by 12 years. And the Republicans want to do away with all of that.

Trumpcare, this new bill, they just introduced a new version this morning, which is repeal and replace. They have now walked away from repeal and delay. Higher costs, pushing millions off their coverage, gutting key protections, crushing age tax, stealing from Medicare and Medicaid.

And really the bill they just had, and the headlines today are 32 million people by 2026 would lose their coverage and premiums would double. So now supposedly today we will see a CBO report on their newest monstrosity.

But I am hopeful. Earlier this month, Senator [Mitch] McConnell said, ‘If my side is unable to agree on an adequate replacement, then some kind of action with regard to the private health insurance market must occur.’

So again, our door has always been open, our hand always extended to work with the Republicans in a bipartisan way to improve and update the Affordable Care Act. Again, they have to set aside repeal, abandon cuts to Medicaid that are there and abandon their huge tax breaks for the wealthy that are in the bill.

In the bill, one of the manifestations of their bill that they put forth, Senator [John] McCain has provisions for cost-sharing reduction payments, which is a positive thing, and possibly money could be used for reinsurance and other initiatives like outreach. So that is a place that we can come together to improve the Affordable Care Act that is already suggested in their legislation.

Again, we have to work to reduce the cost of prescription drugs, expand tax credits for middle class families, and ensure options for bare counties.

And over the past weeks we have not been waiting for the failure of this bill; we have been working in our Caucus, and Members have made suggestions publicly and to our Ranking Members on how we should go forward. Today, we will talk about a few of those things. And next week, in our Steering and Policy Committees, we will take testimony on all of that.

So that is to say we are pivoting. It is time for the Congress to pivot away from these bills that are going nowhere, thank God, but to complete, to make sure that happens.

And as I conclude, I want to thank again the outside groups, the moms across America who have come here and spoken to Members of Congress, here and in their districts, called in, told their stories, have made a tremendous difference. The people have spoken in terms of this legislation. It’s not good news for the Republican initiative. Let’s pivot to how we can get the job done for the American people.

And with that, I am pleased to yield the floor to the distinguished Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. [Frank] Pallone.

* * *

Leader Pelosi. I thank my colleagues for their presentations and for their extraordinary leadership on all of this and the ideas that have been conveyed, Mr. [Frank] Pallone talking about cost sharing, reinsurance, Mr. [Richard] Neal talking about tax credits and how we expand access for millennials and others, Mr. [Bobby] Scott talking about the threat that is there, 32 million people. Imagine, imagine that they would propose such a thing while cost premiums double, according to CBO.

And Mr. [John] Yarmuth has been talking, working on this individual market, insurance market issue for a long time. And I appreciate his suggestions there, as well as those that have come from our colleagues. These, among others, we will hear about them at our Steering [and Policy] Committee meetings next week.

Any questions for my colleagues on the subject of health, health insurance? No? Okay, well, we have a vote. Yes, ma’am. We have a vote, so thank you

Press questioning followed (see transcript)

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Editorial Boards to GOP: Stop Hurting Americans with Trumpcare

After every failure to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, Republicans have made Trumpcare even worse. Now Senate Republicans are pushing to ‘vote on the bill’ next week without any details of what “the bill” is. Regardless of what they propose, their Trumpcare bill will inevitably attack hard-working Americans with higher health costs, less coverage, and huge cuts to Medicaid.

“I did not come to Washington to hurt people.” – Sen. Shelley Moore Capito on Trumpcare

Editorial boards are calling on Republicans to drop their destructive efforts to sabotage the ACA, and work in a bipartisan manner to improve health care for everyone:

[follow the link to view editorials from around the country]

New York Times: The Trumpcare Bonfire

Washington Post: Republicans, ignore Trump’s call to ‘let Obamacare fail.’ Do this instead.

USA TODAY: The Obamacare repeal fiasco

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Yet another GOP health care bill bites the dust. Good

Los Angeles Times: With Obamacare repeal off the table, will Republicans start trying to actually improve healthcare?

York Dispatch: Time to revise and repair

NJ.com: Trumpcare failed, so now he owns Obamacare. Don’t sabotage it

Sun Sentinel: GOP, Trump fail to trash Obama legacy

NorthJersey: Time to work with Democrats

Journal Sentinel: On health care, Republicans should work with Democrats

Star Tribune: After GOP failure, the focus should turn to fixing Obamacare

Baltimore Sun: The way forward for health care

MassLive: Time to stop the grousing, and work to fix Obamacare

Concord Monitor: It’s time to cut a deal on health care

Veterans, seniors, working families and rural communities will suffer just so Republicans can hand hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks to the wealthiest. Trumpcare is a billionaire’s tax cut disguised as a health care bill: one of the largest transfers of wealth from working families to the top 1% in our history. Democrats will continue to turn up the heat against Republicans’ assault on the health of seniors and working people.

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