Congressman Kevin Brady, who is the leading Republican in the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, went to the US House floor to discuss the future of healthcare and the efforts by the Democrats to create alarm.
Here is that speech:
Here is the text of that speech as it was prepared:
“Madame Speaker,
“Embarrassingly designed and hastily written by our Democrat colleagues, Obamacare from day one has come under legal and public scrutiny – and for obvious reasons.
“This disastrous health care experiment, written behind closed doors and stuffed with special-interest giveaways, has driven up health care costs for millions of working families.
“And now, as Obamacare’s ever-increasing failures continue to find their way into our Courts, Democrats are asking us to condemn the Department of Justice’s handling of this judicial process.
“No matter how Democrats try to frame this stunt, the Left is misleading the American people with this political and partisan move.
“This failure of basic civics, and the continuation of falsehoods that Democrats continue to elevate in order to protect this unconstitutional law, is a disservice to the patients they claim they are trying to protect.
“We can – and must – do better as we work to protect patients and lower health care costs.
“Madame Speaker, the truth is Republicans are committed to improving our health care system.
“If the court strikes down Obamacare, Republicans will act to protect those with pre-existing conditions.
“We will work to make health care truly affordable, guaranteeing that folks can see local doctors at local hospitals.
“And we will preserve other important provisions, such as no lifetime limits and allowing children to stay on their parents’ plans until age 26.
“These are shared priorities that patients and families deserve to have secured.
“If our Democrat colleagues who drafted this flawed law want to join Republicans, start fresh and pass a law that is actually constitutional, that will actually lower costs, and that will actually protect patients, we welcome that conversation with open arms.
“That is why I am proud to join with my colleague, the Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Greg Walden, to introduce a resolution that calls for this Congress to work together to do just that.
“Because one thing is clear: Republicans won’t let the courts take away preexisting protections or let Democrats take away your health plan at work.
“I strongly urge all my colleagues to vote no on this political stunt so that we can work together toward making our health care system more convenient and affordable for families across the country.
“Madame Speaker, I yield the balance of my time.”
