Congresswoman Chellie Pingree criticized Republican leadership in the House today as they held the 50th vote to repeal or roll back provisions of the Affordable Care Act.
"We should be debating the important issues facing the economy like the minimum wage or tax breaks that companies use to send jobsoverseas, and instead we find ourselves voting on another attempt to roll back the Affordable Care Act," Pingree said. "It's irresponsible and a waste of time when we should be dealing with more important issues."
The bill House Republicans put up for a vote today, H.R. 4118,would delay the individual responsibility provision of the Affordable Care Act for a year. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, the bill would result in 4 million fewer Americans having health care coverage.
Pingree voted against the bill, which passed the House largely along party lines.
"The Republicans held a vote on almost exactly the same bill last summer and they knew then it wasn't going to go anywhere and nothing has changed," Pingree said. "The Affordable Care Act was debated for two years, signed by the President and upheld by the Supreme Court. It's time to just move on and deal with the problems and challenges facing us today, and stop wasting time with these partisan stunts."
So far over 4 million Americans have signed up for coverage through the health care exchange, 5 million more Americans have become eligible for expanded Medicaid and 3 million young people have coverage through their parents' policies, all because of the Affordable Care Act.
