Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and all 47 of her Senate Democratic colleagues in introducing a Senate resolution calling on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to reverse its recent decision to side with U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Connor’s ruling that deems health care protections enjoyed by hundreds of millions unconstitutional and repeal the ACA in its entirety. This latest act of health care sabotage from the Trump administration could result in 133 million Americans losing protections for pre-existing conditions, millions more Americans without health insurance, soaring costs for seniors, and much more. The resolution introduced today – and the President’s claims that he won’t develop a replacement until after 2020 – outlines the dire consequences for hardworking American families of this politically-motivated action and proclaims the DOJ’s decision must be reversed.
“From day one, President Trump and Republican leaders have made it their mission to sabotage Americans’ health care,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Millions of Americans, and hundreds of thousands of Nevadans have secured access to care under the ACA’s popular and vital protections; from free breast cancer screenings for women and pre-existing conditions protections for every American, to students under 26 years old being covered under their parents health care and thousands of Nevadans finally being able to afford health care under Medicaid expansion. Supporting this resolution is nothing less than a vote to protect hardworking families. The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, and I will continue to fight every day to defend it, improve it and protect Nevadans’ access to quality, affordable health insurance.”
“The administration’s assault on Americans’ health care cannot go unanswered, which is why today I’m introducing a resolution that calls on the Department of Justice to reverse its position in the Texas v. United States lawsuit. Ensuring the health and safety of the American people should transcend politics. I am urging Republicans to support this resolution and work with Democrats to fix our health care law – not repeal it,” said Senator Shaheen. “Congressional Republicans have a choice here – sit idly by while the president strips their constituents of their health care coverage, or work with Democrats to protect Americans’ care and improve the system.”
BACKGROUND:
After Congressional Republicans zeroed out the health insurance coverage requirement in their partisan tax legislation, the State of Texas and a coalition of 19 other states legally challenged the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act in the Texas vs. United States lawsuit. Instead of defending the law and its vital health care protections, the Trump administration’s Department of Justice chose to side with the 20 states challenging our health care law last summer, arguing that pre-existing condition protections are unconstitutional. Late last year, U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Connor’s sided with Texas and ruled to strike down the entire current health care law. Now, the DOJ has expanded its position, now arguing on the side of Judge O’Connor that the entire Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional.
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