Local Reps Respond To House Passage of American Health Care Act

WASHINGTON, DC — Members of the House of Representatives from Chicago's North Shore responded swiftly to Thursday's passage of the American Health Care Act.

Democratic Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-9) accused the Republican House majority of caring "more about towing the party line than protecting the health care of millions of Americans." She said the "resistance to the Trump/Ryan agenda is stronger than ever" and will not end here.

Her fellow Democrat, Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) described the policies of the AHCA as "heartless" and said the "mean-spirited plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act" was "motivated by a need to fulfill a campaign promise rather than true desire to improve our health care system."

Read their full statements below:

Rep. Brad Schneider:

“Today the Republican House voted to weaken America’s health care. This bill doesn’t fix health care, it takes us backwards, forcing families to pay more money for less coverage, putting Americans with pre-existing conditions again at risk of discrimination, and leaving many people just one severe illness away from potential bankruptcy.

“From the start, this mean-spirited plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act was written without public input or hearings, pushed forward recklessly without a CBO score, and motivated by a need to fulfill a campaign promise rather than true desire to improve our health care system.

“I hope the Senate has the good sense to stop this terrible health care plan in its tracks, and Congress can finally start working together to improve and build on the successes of the Affordable Care Act, rather than trying to tear it down.

“But there is little solace tonight for those that are likely to suffer from these heartless policies: the mother who worries whether her daughter successfully survived leukemia only to be denied affordable insurance because of a pre-existing condition, the working father who is ten years from retirement but now will face an unfair age tax, and the estimated 24 million more Americans who will go without coverage because of this bill.”

Rep. Jan Schakowsky:

“House Republicans have done it. They have voted in favor of a horrible bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, they have opposed the will of the American people, they have ignored the warnings of doctors, nurses, and patient groups, and they have told their constituents that they care more about toeing the party line than protecting the health care of millions of Americans.”

“This Republican bill will not become law in its current form. And yet, Republicans have walked the plank for it, telling their constituents that they don’t care about the 24 million or more people who would lose health insurance because of this bill. They are telling people that they favor a $600 billion tax cut for millionaires, billionaires, and corporations paid for by cutting Medicaid by $880 billion. And they’re telling their constituents that they want older Americans to pay a crippling age tax which could increase their premiums by up to 758%.

“Believe me: the American people will remember. The groundswell of opposition that we have seen from around the country is astounding, and it won’t end here. The resistance to the Trump/Ryan agenda is stronger than ever, and I know whose side I’m on.”

Top photo | Mark Wilson | Getty Images News/Getty Images