Washington, DC -- Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today voted to maintain the health care law that was recently ruled constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in order to ensure that millions of Americans will be able to keep or gain access to quality health insurance coverage, seniors will face lower prescription drug costs, and children can stay on their parents' plans until they're 26 years old.  For the 33rd time in the past two years, House Republicans voted to repeal or defund the Affordable Care Act, seeking to take away critical protections for millions of Americans that the health insurance industry opposes.  Hinchey, who strongly supported and helped pass the health care law in 2010, voted against the Republican effort to repeal the measure today.

"House Republicans are obsessed with repealing the health care law to the point that they keep voting to repeal it over and over again instead of bringing up substantive legislation to help grow our economy and create jobs.  They are like a broken record," Hinchey said. "The lack of ideas from House Republicans on how to foster a well-educated workforce, strengthen small businesses, and create jobs is so glaring that they are forced to just keep talking about health care even though it's been more than two years since it became law.  At this point, it's quite clear that the sky isn't falling because we passed health care reform.  On the contrary, we're seeing major improvements because of the new law.  It's time to move on and work on legislation that will actually provide real benefits to the American people, not strip away benefits and protections as House Republicans have sought to do with this repeal measure."

Across the country, the Affordable Care Act is improving and enhancing the health of America's families and workers.  Medical decisions are now in the hands of patients and doctors, not insurance company bureaucrats.  The worst abuses of insurance companies have come to an end and more Americans have access to quality, affordable health coverage.  In 2014, each state will open up a health insurance exchange from which Americans will be able to choose from a menu of different insurance options that will have contained costs along with a basic set of requirements that will ensure a basic level of comprehensive coverage.

Over the past two years, Americans have already seen the positive impact of new patient protections from the health care law as:

Up to 17 million children are no longer denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition.6.6 million young people have obtained insurance through their parents' plans.5.3 million seniors have already saved $3.7 billion on prescription drugs.105 million Americans no longer face lifetime limits on their insurance coverage.

"House Republicans refuse to even offer an alternative plan for health care reform.  They are focused on stripping away all of the protections we recently put in place and don't have any clue as to what they would do next.  What they are doing is nothing more than a vote to protect the health insurance industry and maintain the steady flow of campaign contributions that have corrupted the system." 

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