Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) led the Senate Democratic Caucus in introducing a resolution that would authorize Senate Legal Counsel to intervene in the Texas v. United States lawsuit, on behalf of the U.S. Senate, to defend the protections for people with pre-existing conditions.
“I am proud to join my colleagues in defending important protections that make health care affordable and accessible for all Nevadans,” said Cortez Masto. “Insurance companies shouldn’t be allowed to charge pregnant women, veterans, and cancer survivors more for health care. I look forward to working with my fellow Senate Democrats to fight this lawsuit and improve our health care system so that everyone in this country can get the treatment they need at rates they can afford.”
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 challenged the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. This lawsuit, Texas v. United States, could result in the rollback of important protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Instead of defending the law and these vital health care protections, the Trump administration’s Department of Justice announced in June that they are abandoning their responsibility to defend the laws of our country, siding with the 20 states challenging the ACA.
The Senate Democratic caucus, led by Senators Cortez Masto, Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Republicans to sign on to the resolution to show that they truly support vital protections for people with pre-existing conditions. The resolution highlights the Trump administration’s systematic dismantling of the American health care system, which has created a cloud of uncertainty for insurers all across the country, thereby increasing costs on hard-working American families. Given the urgency needed to offset these actions, ensure pre-existing condition protections are here to stay, and lower health care costs for American families, the Democrats also urged Senate Majority Leader McConnell to immediately schedule a vote on the new resolution.