Washington, DC -- Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY17) criticized Senate Republicans for repeating the House Republican Majority’s political grandstanding on health care legislation that is aiding 30 million Americans rather than focusing on creating jobs and aiding the economy. 

“It is appropriate that we repeat history today on Groundhog Day, like the movie which shares its name, we are repeating the same day today.  House Republicans felt that preventing seniors from obtaining affordable medication and removing young adults from their parents’ health plans is an important target of their attention.  The American people made it perfectly clear in November that they are unhappy with Washington and believed their Congress was not listening to their call for more jobs and a better economy.  But Republicans are more intent on re-fighting the battles of the past,” said Rep. Engel.

The 12-term Congressman added, “One good thing about this ridiculous vote, it was attached to the reauthorization of funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  Until the FAA rescinds their plan to send hundreds of flights per day over Rockland County homes, that reauthorization needs to join health care repeal in the discard pile.  Instead of playing these games we can seriously discuss the flaws in the FAA reauthorization, and actually go about the business of legislation without theatrics.”

Their quixotic attempt to repeal of the landmark Affordable Care Act is a terrible way to show the American people that they plan to work with Democrats to fix the many problems facing our nation, Rep. Engel said.

“This repeal could be a death sentence for some Americans, and it would certainly bankrupt others.  It is irresponsible governance and diverts the focus from putting Americans back to work, and instead would put millions of others out of work,” added Rep. Engel. 

The Senate support of the House Republicans’ ‘We Don’t Care Act’ would take away health care from over 30 million people, forcibly remove young adults, up to age 26, from their parents’ health plans, leaving them vulnerable to health crises, it would reopen the Medicare ‘donut hole’ and increase costs to seniors for prescription drugs, and let insurance companies refuse coverage to people with pre-existing conditions – which includes HALF of the American population. 

“For two years, Senate Republicans abused the filibuster to prevent passage of anything which could be considered a ‘victory’ for the President.  They blocked badly-needed aid for the unemployed.  They stopped, or attempted to stop, every measure aimed at spurring job creation.  They fought against health care for 9-11 first responders, against reforming the financial industry, against equal rights for all members of our armed forces, and the list goes on and on.  But now, by all means, let’s allow a vote to take health care away from millions of Americans, further balloon the deficit and actually inhibit job creation. 

“If Republicans are serious about reform – and I doubt they are since during the many years they were in charge, they did nothing to reform the flawed system – then they should be working with us to change parts of the bill.  Like the Democrats did byeliminating the tax-reporting provision of the law which overburdens small businesses passed, I have signed on as a co-sponsor to similar legislation in the House.  This is how we can work to make the law better, not by playing ridiculous political games,” said Rep. Engel.

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The reality for Americans is that repealing the Affordable Care Act would:

• Raise the number of uninsured Americans by 32 million – once again placing the burden of care upon more expensive emergency rooms.
• Explode the deficit by $230 billion by 2021, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.
• Re-open the “donut” hole for Medicare Part D prescription drugs increasing costs for millions of seniors,
• Force young Americans up to 26 years old to be removed from their parents’ plans and be on their own should catastrophic health issues occur,
• Empower insurance companies to deny ailing Americans with pre-existing conditions, and to cap the coverage of others who are in great need of care,
• Increase the taxes on small businesses who provide health care for their employees,
• Halt the preventative cancer screenings and annual check-ups for seniors,
• Force high-risk Medicare patients who are hospitalized to be continually readmitted, rather than allow for comparable services in community care programs,
• Stop advances in health care technology rather than looking ahead at new and innovative ways to care for Americans in the 21^st century and beyond.

For District 17 in New York (Bronx, Rockland, Westchester Counties), the consequences of repeal would mean:

• Up to 289,000 people would be vulnerable to coverage denials from insurance companies, including up to 42,000 children, due to pre-existing conditions,
• 400,000 people would lose consumer protections from their employer-based insurance or private insurance,
• Up to 15,000 small businesses and 136,000 families would lose health care tax credits,
• 7,000 seniors would pay more for prescription drugs from the re-opening of the “donut” hole in the Medicare Part D drug plan,
• 91,000 seniors would be denied preventative care benefits, halting treatments which could nip devastating diseases in the bud,
• 9,300 early retirees would have their health costs increased
• 2,700 young adults would have their new health coverage eliminated,
• 49,000 more people would be left without health insurance
• $312 million annually would be added to the costs of local hospitals to provide uncompensated care.

“I call on my Republican colleagues to come forward with something productive.   If they have a plan to cover the 30 million people we are covering, and are able to do so with a Congressional Budget Office score better than ours, then I welcome the discussion,” added Rep. Engel, a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

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