Senator Murray has been a leading voice raising the alarm against Republicans’ massive health care cuts and fighting to extend critical health care tax credits to prevent spiking costs for middle-class families
Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-H), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and the entire Senate Democratic caucus in introducing new legislation that would repeal the devastating health care cuts—primarily to Medicaid—that the Senate Republicans passed in their partisan reconciliation bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and permanently extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits that make health care more affordable for middle-class families.
After Republicans passed legislation in July that will kick nearly 15 million people off their health insurance and totals more than one trillion dollars in health care cuts, Senate Democrats are fighting back and pushing to reverse these devastating cuts and extend tax credits to make health care more affordable. Democrats’ Protecting Healthcare And Lowering Costs Actwould reverse all of the health care cuts in Republicans’ reconciliation bill, including those to Medicaid, and would permanently extend the ACA premium tax credits to prevent a massive spike in premiums and health care costs for families who rely on the ACA.
“Republicans’ Big, Ugly Betrayal Bill is the largest transfer of wealth from people who have the least, to the people who have the most, in our nation’s history,” said Senator Murray. “And although they try to deny it, the consequences of the legislation are already being felt. Hospitals are already closing their doors and insurers have already requested the largest premium increase in more than 5 years—all because Republicans decided we can afford to shovel trillions of dollars towards tax breaks for billionaires, but we can’t afford to help working families get health care. Our legislation would reverse the terrible cuts in the Republican bill to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act—now we need everyone to keep up the pressure on Republicans to join us.”
“For many, the “Big, Ugly Betrayal” is quite literally a matter of life and death. Too many will now have to make the heartbreaking decision between financial ruin and going without care. Already the effects of this bill are being felt. Already hospitals and healthcare systems are in jeopardy because of this legislation that passed just mere weeks ago,” said Leader Schumer. “Let’s be crystal clear: to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, millions of people are going to lose their healthcare. That’s the Republicans agenda right there. Well, not on our watch. Democrats are fighting this tooth and nail. And today we are proud to introduction legislation which would reverse these devastating cuts and permanently extend the ACA premium tax credits. It is not too late for the Republicans to reverse course and save healthcare for millions.”
The legislation has been endorsed by American Civil Liberties Union, AFL-CIO. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFT: Education, Healthcare, Public Services, All* Above All , Alliance for Retired Americans, American Association on Health and Disability, American Heart Association, American Nurses Association, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, ACLU, Can’t Wait Coalition, Care in Action, Caring Across Generations, Center for American Progress, Center for Medicare Advocacy, CEO Commission for Disability Employment, Children’s Hospital Association, Communication Workers of America, Community Catalyst, Disability Policy Consortium, Disability Rights and Defense Fund, Diverse Elders Coalition (DEC), FamiliesUSA, First Focus for Children, Guttmacher Institute, Health Care for America Now, Ibis Reproductive Health, Justice in Aging, Kids Can’t Wait, Lakeshore Foundation, Little Lobbyists, MoveOn.org, National Abortion Federation, National Alliance for Caregiving, National Alliance for Direct Service Professionals, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, National Council of Jewish Women, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM), National Disability Rights Network, National Domestic Workers Alliance, National Hispanic Council on Aging, National Health Law Program (NHeLP), National Immigration Law Center, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Protect Our Care, Public Citizens, SEIU, Social Security Works, The Arc of the United States, UNIDOS US, United Mine Workers of America, Vizient, Inc., Well Spouse Association, Healthcare Association of New York and Texas Kids Can’t Wait.
The full text of the Protecting Healthcare And Lowering Costs Act isHERE.
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