Senator Kamala Harris Delivers Floor Speech Calling Out the GOP Secret Health Care Bill

Senator Kamala Harris Delivers Floor Speech Calling Out the GOP Secret Health Care Bill Friend, Yesterday, U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris joined her Senate Democratic colleagues to hold the floor in opposition to the Senate Republicans’ secret health care bill, and highlighted the lack of transparency and bipartisanship shown throughout its development. Harris delivered personal testimonies from Californians whose lives have been saved by the Affordable Care Act. The Republican health care bill would put 4 to 5 million Californians at risk of losing coverage. Previously, Harris spoke on the floor to defend the ACA on the anniversary of its signing, and has since introduced legislation with Senator Feinstein and other Senate Democrats to improve the ACA and make coverage more affordable. Key Quotes from Senator Harris’ remarks: We know, because we’ve been told, that it’s about 80% the same as the bill that was passed by the House, a bill so catastrophic that even the President of the United States who hailed its passage now calls it, “mean.” We know that it would throw 23 million Americans off their health insurance within a decade, including putting 4 to 5 million Californians at risk of losing coverage. We know it would raise costs for middle class families and seniors. In every county of California, average monthly premium costs would go up while financial support to pay premiums would fall. We know it would put Americans with pre-existing conditions at risk, and leave people who need maternity care or opioid treatment without coverage or force them to pay huge out-of-pocket costs. We know it would cut about $834 billion from Medicaid, which means less money for families to pay for nursing homes, to support children with special needs, or to treat substance abuse. And I know that I’m just one of two senators that [Californians] have. And when it comes to their needs and their need to be represented in the United States Congress, and their need to be heard, and their need to be seen, party affiliation should not matter. What should matter are the needs of the American people. And regardless, then, of who they vote for in a partisan election, I am certain of this: this healthcare plan that is being proposed by my colleagues from across the aisle will not solve their problems. And it will only create, in fact, more problems and potentially devastate people’s lives. You can watch the Senator's full remarks on her Facebook page here. Thanks, Julie Julie Chávez Rodríguez  State Director  U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris           Washington D.C.112 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone (202) 224-3553  Fax (202) 224-2200 Los Angeles312 N. Spring St.  Suite 1748 Los Angeles, CA  90012 Phone (213) 894 - 5000  Fax (202) 224 - 0357 San Francisco50 United Nations Plaza Suite 5584 San Francisco, CA  94102 Phone (415) 355 - 9041  Fax (202) 224 - 0454   Fresno2500 Tulare Street Suite 5290 Fresno, CA 93721 Phone (559) 497 - 5109  Fax (202) 228 - 3864  Sacramento501 I Street Suite 7-600 Sacramento, CA  95814 Phone (916) 448 - 2787  Fax (202) 228 - 3865  San Diego600 B Street Suite 2240 San Diego, CA  92101 Phone (619) 239 - 3884  Fax (202) 228 - 3863