Issues of the Day

Floor Speech

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Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Garamendi for his leadership and for bringing us together today on two very, very important topics. I have come to know him as a leader on issues that are impacting the American people, from California to New Jersey. The gentleman has demonstrated a concern for all people of this country and his constituents. For that, I am grateful.

Today, the second topic on the Democratic agenda for the people, protecting preexisting conditions, is both timely and important. Yesterday, the Trump administration unleashed another assault on the Affordable Care Act. In Federal court, the Trump administration said that it agrees with the lower court's decision to overturn the Affordable Care Act.

After campaigning on the premise that he would work to improve healthcare, President Trump wants to eliminate protections for people with preexisting conditions.

President Trump wants to end the provision that allows young people to stay on their parents' health insurance plans.

President Trump wants to bring back junk insurance plans that take people's money but refuse to cover their medical expenses. That is what will happen if President Trump wins in Federal court.

It was not that long ago when Federal law allowed insurance companies to discriminate against people with preexisting conditions. Insurance companies could charge people with preexisting conditions extremely high rates and refuse to cover them at all. The Affordable Care Act eliminated legalized discrimination against people with preexisting conditions.

But now the Trump administration is fighting to bring healthcare discrimination back.

Well, there is no going back.

More than 200,000 people in New Jersey, alone, who purchase their insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace have preexisting conditions. Nearly 5 million New Jerseyans who get insurance through their employment could be harmed by Trump's attack on the Affordable Care Act's protections for people with preexisting conditions.

New Jerseyans and all Americans deserve protection, not discrimination.

In my district, 16,000 people, alone, with preexisting conditions would be at risk of coverage loss or premium increases if the Trump administration successfully rolls back the Affordable Care Act.

Now, let me touch on the effects of this on women for a second.

The Affordable Care Act's protection for people with preexisting conditions prevents insurance companies from charging women a higher premium on the basis of their being a woman. It keeps insurance companies from charging women a higher premium on the basis of them being a woman. Now, that is not something that they had very much of a choice in at birth, so it is immoral to hold that against them.

What the Trump administration is trying to do would result in women facing significantly higher health insurance premiums simply because they are not men. That wasn't right before the Affordable Care Act, and it sure isn't right now.

Let me be clear: The Trump administration wants to put lives at risk by undermining people's access to healthcare in this Nation.

And let me be clear about this: I will keep fighting, along with the gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi), to ensure that all Americans' healthcare is protected. That is the least we can do in the position that our constituents have given us in this task to be their voice in this House.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to once again commend Mr. Garamendi for always being timely in bringing these issues to light for the American people and for all the country to see, that we here in the House of Representatives do speak for them.

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