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Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I rise in opposition to this, the 43rd attempt to defund, delay, or undermine the Affordable Care Act by House Republicans.
What is even more disturbing is that this latest attempt comes with the very distinct possibility for a costly and disruptive government shutdown.
As Members of Congress, we have a constitutional obligation to fund our government. The Senate sent us a bill yesterday that would accomplish that goal; but rather than pass it, House Republicans are pressing their ideological agenda once more, pushing us closer to a government shutdown.
Look, I get it. The Republican Conference is desperate to halt the Affordable Care Act because they bet against it and they came up short; but now they're gambling with our entire economy. They're desperate because they bet against a law that is already benefiting millions of Americans, from seniors on Medicare, to children with preexisting conditions, to millions of Americans who are being overcharged by their insurance companies. And starting January 1, millions more uninsured Americans will be able to obtain quality, affordable health insurance. In fact, just this week, it was announced that a family of four in my congressional district making $50,000 a year will be able to obtain private health insurance for as little as $24 a month.
The Affordable Care Act is working, and I urge my colleagues to stop betting the same losing hand on our economy. Enough already. Let it go.
Now, let me tell you something that your little stunt that you're pulling here--which has no chance of becoming law--what it does for the millions of breast cancer survivors like me.
Ninety-five days from today, the millions of survivors, the 150 million people who live in this country with a preexisting condition, you are trying to rob us of the peace of mind that that provision gives us.
What you're trying to do is make sure that every single day, when each of us who survived cancer or another life-threatening illness, waiting for the other shoe to drop, what you're trying to do is say you should stay living in fear for an insurance company to boot you off your insurance because of the possibility of you getting sick again. It's unconscionable. It's unacceptable. Walk a mile in our shoes.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would remind Members they should address their remarks to the Chair.
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