Congressman Lowenthal Statement on GOP Healthcare Vote

Statement

Congressman Alan Lowenthal (CA-47) today issued the following statement regarding the vote in the House of Representatives on H.R. 1628, the GOP bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act:

"I am appalled by the GOP healthcare bill. I am also dismayed by the abject disregard the GOP seems to have for our fellow Americans. I could not, in any way, vote for this bill. If I could vote no on it 100 times, I would proudly do so. This version of their plan turned out to be worse than the first version, just with a new coat of paint.

"Since the GOP first proposed their plan, I received thousands of messages from constituents, as well as visits to my office and my recent town hall, all to let me know about their stories of life before the ACA, and to tell me that they have no interest in going back. I know that my Republican colleagues heard from their constituents as well--they should have listened to them.

"The GOP offered no coherent vision of who this bill was supposed to help and seemed to ignore the fact that if would hurt tens of millions of Americans. The majority of the American people oppose it; groups representing seniors, hospitals, doctors, patients, and children oppose it; even many Republican House Members opposed it.

"This bill guts Medicaid and premium tax credits to those most in need in order to give a huge tax break to the wealthiest Americans and CEOs of insurance companies. The latest version also allows states to let insurance companies charge seniors and those with pre-existing conditions even more, as well as do away with the essential health benefits guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act.

"The Congressional Budget Office made clear, 24 million Americans are going to suffer if this bill becomes law. It is reckless and heartless. I don't think the American people are going to soon forget today's vote."

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