Summary: This morning, Speaker Ryan held a press conference with Republican leaders to discuss why Congress is acting quickly to repeal and replace Obamacare.

Key Quote: “There is a better way, and we have made it clear what we want to replace Obamacare with: a truly patient-centered system with more choices and lower costs. A system that gives you the control and the freedom that Obamacare has taken from you. We ran on these ideas. We gave the people a very clear choice. And they deserve action.”

Transcript:

“We need to remember something: this law is hurting people right now. Look at how much worse things have gotten just in the last few months. More double-digit premium increases. More deductible hikes. More people losing their plans. You just heard from Diane Black—how many counties? Three-quarters of the counties of Tennessee, a monopoly; one choice. Sixty-three percent increase in premiums, just in Tennessee.

“So without delay, we are taking action. We are putting in place the tools necessary to keep our promise on this law. We are acting quickly because Obamacare is failing. You have to remember this—Obamacare is failing. For many Americans, it’s already failed.

“For people seeing their premiums skyrocket, Obamacare has already failed. For people suddenly stuck with only one plan to choose from—a monopoly—this law has failed them. For people with deductibles so high that they try to get by without going to the doctor, this law has failed them.  

“There is a better way, and we have made it clear what we want to replace Obamacare with: a truly patient-centered system with more choices and lower costs. A system that gives you the control and the freedom that Obamacare has taken from you. We ran on these ideas. We gave the people a very clear choice. And they deserve action.

“So Democrats can try to talk around Obamacare’s problems day and night. They can try to reduce this debate to slogans and scare tactics. But this is not about politics. This is about people’s lives.

“We need to act before things get worse. Remember—this is a rescue mission. We are in the middle of a rescue mission to save the families who are getting caught up in the death spiral that has become Obamacare. And we need to do this right.

“We need to make sure there is a stable transition period so that people do not have the rug pulled out from under them. This is how we will keep our promise to the American people.”