DeGette Statement Following Marathon Markup of Trump’s ‘One Big, Bogus Bill'

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) released the following statement after the Energy & Commerce Committee completed a nearly 27 hour-long markup of Trump’s ‘One Big, Bogus Bill’ that would cut $715 billion from Medicaid, kick 13.7 million Americans off their health care, and defund Planned Parenthood to give tax cuts to billionaires.

“House Republicans held a 27 hour markup, starting debate over the health care provisions at 1 o’clock in the morning, to hide what they are doing from the American people. Throughout the night, they deflected from their true intentions of kicking millions of Americans off their health care. But here’s the truth: you can’t cut $715 billion from Medicaid without kicking eligible recipients off the program. The policies House Republicans want to implement have been tried in states like Georgia and Arkansas, and they have failed miserably, leading to eligible people losing their health care and actually costing the states more money. Make no mistake: this bill will lead to eligible recipients losing their health care, and House Republicans couldn’t care less.

“Furthermore, they are specifically targeting Planned Parenthood, which serves over 60,000 Coloradans annually, by eliminating their federal funding. That means 1 million Planned Parenthood patients on Medicaid will lose access to care, such as cancer screenings, wellness visits, HIV prevention, and family planning counseling.

“House Republicans are so focused on appeasing Trump and giving tax cuts to billionaires that they are gutting essential health care programs and providers. I called out their cuts throughout the markup, and I am going to continue to fight to protect Medicaid and access to health care as Republicans try to jam this monstrosity of a bill through Congress.”

Democrats on the committee offered a number of amendments to stop this bill from taking health care away from hard-working Americans. Republicans voted against every single Democratic amendment, including: 

• An amendment to require the HHS Secretary to certify that the Trump administration will not cut Medicaid benefits.
• An amendment to prevent defunding Planned Parenthood.
• An amendment to prevent the bill from taking effect if any of the provisions result in an increase in mortality rates.
• An amendment to require 100 percent of savings to be reinvested in medical assistance for eligible Medicaid recipients.
• An amendment to maintain state flexibility in funding Medicaid.
• An amendment to require assessments from states on the impact of this bill on uncompensated care and emergency department wait time.
• An amendment to remove unnecessary and burdensome paperwork requirements.
• An amendment to require states to provide 12 months postpartum coverage.
• An amendment to codify a ban on CHIP waiting periods.
• An amendment noting the Sense of Congress that Americans should not pay more than those in other countries for the exact same prescription drugs.

An amendment that says none of the provisions of the bill will take effect if any of the provisions result in reduced access to coverage.

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