Healthcare

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, on one final matter, our Democratic colleagues do apparently have time to push for show votes on messaging resolutions with no chance of becoming law. This week's installment is a Democratic effort to limit the flexibility that Governors of both parties have utilized to lighten the burdens of ObamaCare. States have jumped at the opportunity to use waivers to reduce the costs associated with ObamaCare's mandate. In the States that have taken advantage, premiums decreased significantly.

In 2018, the Trump administration expanded this policy with an even more flexible interpretation of this part of ObamaCare. The goal was to give States even more of what they had been asking for, even more latitude to preserve consumer choice and lower premiums. But notwithstanding all the evidence that says this is the right direction for the American people, our Democratic colleagues want to roll back the Trump administration guidance and limit States' flexibility.

Since this position is virtually impossible to explain on its merits, our Democratic colleagues have instead turned to a familiar talking point: the false claim that Republicans are trying to undercut protections for Americans with preexisting conditions. Sound familiar? But, of course, that is not true.

As Senate Republicans have said over and over and over again, we support protections for Americans with preexisting conditions. And the administration has made it very clear that this waiver program poses no threat--no threat--to those protections. The Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has stated that ``a section 1332 waiver cannot''--cannot--``undermine coverage with people with pre-existing conditions.''

What is more, as the White House has already made clear, Democrats' resolution has zero chance of becoming law. This is just another political messaging exercise with no path to making an impact.

I urge my colleagues to reject this resolution, keep fighting to lower premiums for the American people, and protect those with preexisting conditions.

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