Post by bot on Jun 25, 2017 17:36:30 GMT -5
Hoyer Remarks at Press Conference to Oppose TrumpCare with House Democrats,
Health Care Professionals, and Patient Advocates
WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) joined Rep. Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-12); Rep. Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-07); Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi; House Democrats; health care professionals; and patient advocates at a press conference today in opposition TrumpCare. Below is a transcript of his remarks:
“The white coats are coming! The white coats are coming! The white coats are coming! And the blue scrubs are here, as well! And they have the same message: ‘do no harm.’ That’s the message: Do no harm, Congress. Do no harm to the rights of Americans to have health care, for themselves and their families. Do no harm.
“I want to thank Dr. Ruiz and Dr. Bera and all of you. I know I want to thank you for being here, but I also want to thank you for being in the hospital room, in the emergency room, in the intensive care unit, where our friend Steve Scalise is right now. You make a difference in the lives of all of us. You keep our families safe, you keep ourselves safe, you make the world healthier. Thank you all for what you do.
“We are here today with doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals from around the country who know first-hand how harmful TrumpCare will be to their patients and their ability to serve. Today, Senate Republicans are releasing a bill. Today, they are releasing a bill, and they want to pass it in just a few days. Imagine that. They wrote it in secret. Just as dangerous as the House bill however, a bill that President Trump called ‘mean.’
"Do no harm. Republicans ought to remember that they control the government now. They therefore will be responsible for the adverse consequences of their actions and for the adverse consequences of their negligence in making sure that the terms of the Affordable Care Act are, in fact, being carried out.
"House Democrats will continue to oppose efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with TrumpCare. We know that TrumpCare will kick millions off of their coverage. We don’t yet know the CBO score and we don’t know much of what the Senate did because we’re just starting to read it, but we know millions of Americans are going to lose health insurance. It will significantly raise premiums in 2018 – the CBO is going to say that, make those with pre-existing conditions uninsurable, force states to kick millions off Medicaid and cut providers, and impose an age tax.
“These providers are here today because they want to protect their patients. That’s what they are committed to do, that’s what they take an oath to do – to protect their patients. And it is that responsibility they are carrying out today, as they appear here with all of us. I am proud to stand with them. I am proud to stand with my colleagues. I am proud to stand with Dr. Ruiz and Dr. Bera and other medical personnel to say our friends in the Congress of the United States who don’t like the Affordable Care Act but are not prepared to fix it, they want to replace it and reduce the insurance coverage that people have today and put them more at risk, do no harm.
"And now, I am pleased to yield to my dear friend from California, Dr. Ami Bera."