Pelosi Remarks at Press Conference on Impact of ACA & Republicans’ Plans to #MakeAmericaSickAgain

Leader Pelosi's Opening Remarks:

"Good afternoon, everyone.  Thank you for being here.  As our Members come forward, may I just say: this is a very historic day.  The last full day of the presidency of a great American President, President Barack Obama and his Vice President Joe Biden.  How proud we have all been to work with him – a valuable contribution they have made to our country.  We'll miss them.

"So, here we are – our first stand to protect our health care.  We have met with you on different configurations with women, with seniors, with our Ranking Members of the Committees.  Today, we are going to hear about some events that took place in our first stand across the country, where thousands and thousands of people – Americans – who support the Affordable Care Act came forward in events across the country to say, ‘protect our care.'

"I'm particularly proud of the event that we had in San Francisco, where over 3,000 people showed up to voice their support.  But, what was wonderful about it was it was so silent as they listened to the stories – the stories that were told about how people would be affected, whether it was a person with a pre-existing condition, somebody affected by caps, people were talking about their children to the age of 26, the list goes on.  And you'll hear from [our Members about] some of that.

"I just left in my office – the Mayor of San Francisco is here for the Conference of Mayors.  In a very strong, bipartisan way, the Conference of Mayors is supportive of not repealing the Affordable Care Act until we have something to replace it with.  But public opinion on this subject has grown.  I've said before: it's one thing for us to try to sell it to the American people, it's another things for the Republicans to take it away.

"Mr. Hoyer is going to talk about it, but I'm so proud.  In Maryland, they had over 2,000 people.  I yield to Mr. Hoyer to tell us about that.  Thank you, Mr. Hoyer."

Leader Pelosi's Closing Remarks:

"Thank you, my colleagues, for your words of wisdom today – reporting on what you saw in your districts most recently and since the Republican initiative last Friday.  About those meetings before the rally – Jan Schakowsky had 1,400 at her pre-event.  And all of our colleagues have had events in their communities.  In L.A., where Congresswoman Sanchez, our Vice Chair, had her meeting – 14 Members of Congress and the big crowd of providers and patients and interested parties, civic-minded as to what this means to a community.

"Some of my colleagues talked about what was before and how this is an improvement on that.  People do not sometimes remember the lack of access that was there before.  The purpose of the Affordable Care Act was to do three things: lower cost, increase access and improve benefits.  If the Republicans want to come up with something that does not decrease benefits, decrease the number of people who can participate or diminish their benefits, we're happy to talk to them about it.  But, as Steny and others have said, this isn't just about the 20 million-plus who have the Affordable Care Act now.  It's about everybody who has their benefits through the workplace, where all of the conditions that Steny and others have mentioned, will be affected if the Affordable Care Act goes away.

"But, it's also about something called ‘uncompensated care,' which has a devastating impact on hospitals because hospitals must treat people who come, and if it isn't paid for, that is a national assault on the well-being of the hospitals.  They just can't afford it.

"Remember this:  when the Republicans want to overturn the Affordable Care Act, block grant Medicaid and voucherize Medicare, they are having a direct impact on the well-being of every person in America.  If you are a senior, no longer will you be able to get that early check-up, free check-up which would prevent what Congresswoman Dingell talked about.  Medicaid – as Mr. Neal has pointed out to us over and over again, and Mr. Pallone, the committee of jurisdiction, have talked about – has been a benefit to middle class families because when seniors pay down their income, their benefits, their resources, they're in nursing homes paid for – 50 percent of their care is paid for by Medicaid.  So, this isn't just about the working poor.  It's important in its own right.

"So, whether it's the well-being of hospitals, the middle class and how it's affected by Medicaid and Medicare, whether it's chaos into the industry of insurance care – Rosa knows all about that being from Connecticut and for other reasons as well.

"This is a very irresponsible path for the Republicans to take.  More and more of them are saying, ‘No repeal without replace.'  We'd like to see what their replace would look like.  But again, as all of my colleagues have said, it's about what it means in the life of each person in our country.  And they have beautifully told some of the stories.  Nothing is more eloquent to a Member of Congress than the voice of his or her own constituents.  So, we hope that their constituents will tell them their stories, so that they will understand the impact of their ideological wish to overturn an initiative that is there – that again, makes America healthier.  We are not turning back.  This is our first stand to protect the Affordable Care Act.  We will not let them Make America Sick Again.  Thank you all very much."

***

Q:  So, are you anticipating some kind of 2010 – in reverse, there were rallies when people came out, they didn't like health care.  That led to some defeats for you guys.  There have been parallels drawn to maybe like a 2010, in reverse or converse.  What's the ultimate goal here?

Leader Pelosi.  Well, what's different between now and 2010 – and let me acknowledge another Member of the Committee of Jurisdiction, Mr. Scott, who has bene working on this.  I mentioned Mr. Neal, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Scott – our three custodians of the Affordable Care Act.  They know more than any of us about [it].

Let me make a clear distinction between now and 2010.  One word: truth.  Truth.  What we're telling is the truth about the Affordable Care Act – the living truth that people have experienced in their lives.  The misrepresentations that inflamed people in 2010 were appalling.  I don't even want to go into them because they're appalling.  But the fact is: the truth is on our side and it is told by the people themselves.

This is different also because then, they were putting fear in people's minds about what this might do.  Right now, they're trying to take away a benefit.  It's a harder thing to do.  But, I'll tell you.  This is organic.  People are turning out with or without us.  They need no right.  I always say: don't agonize, organize.  But they are organizing themselves.  And they are going to their own Congress people, including us and the Republicans, with their stories.

So, this will be very interesting.  And it gives us hope because two Fridays ago, we had a big meeting of all the groups that helped us pass the Affordable Care Act – whether you talk about Easter Seals to groups that deal with people with disabilities or mental illness or seniors, children, hospitals, faith-based organizations.  They are ready to go because they see the benefit, they don't want it to be taken away, and we cannot go back.

Q:  Can I follow up on the political angle here?  Do you think that this could have a drastic impact for Republicans and Members in 2018? 

Leader Pelosi.  Well, we would hope – let me just say this, and then, I'll give it to my colleagues.

I don't care about the politics.  This isn't about Democrats or Republicans.  This is about the American people.  I would just hope that we can resolve the issue, win on the issue – that is to say: have the Affordable Care Act exist.  [We] welcome any cooperation we can have to strengthen what our goals are in it.

But, this isn't about politics.  This is about the American people – the good health of America, as well as affordable health care in America.  Steny?

Whip Hoyer.  I think the Leader is absolutely right.  I don't know whether it will have a drastic effect on the election.  I know it will have a drastic effect on the availability of health care for all Americans.

Q:  Leader Pelosi, I just want to follow up because you mentioned the polls at the beginning that the public opinion is moving.  But isn't a big challenge for Democrats the fact that those polls up into this point have been flipped? 

I mean, these are the first polls that show approval for Obamacare higher than disapproval.  And it's taken this long, and you have a president who is about to sign executive orders to roll back parts of the law and a Congress ready to move very quickly to roll it back.  Are you concerned about the swift action you're facing?  And how can you mobilize public opinion because it doesn't necessarily seem to be on your side?

Leader Pelosi.  Well, first of all, let me just say that the reason that the numbers were not good before was because they were predicated on false information.  And if I would fault us with anything is not to stop doing the work we're doing and just fight their misrepresentations.  And that is a criticism that we all accept, including, I'm sure, the President of the United States.

But nonetheless, the people know what it means to them in their lives.  I mean, we could tell you, all of us, many, many stories – Mr. Swalwell told one and introduced his constituent at our rally in San Francisco.  All of our colleagues could tell you these stories.  But the fact is, is that 70 percent in the polls this morning, said they didn't want it to be repealed without a replacement – some combination of that.

So, people know now.  It's different.  Maybe in Washington, D.C., we don't know enough people – I don't know – for you to be asking these questions.  The fact is that if you're a child and you're born with a pre-existing condition, it's your life and your family.

By the way, if we go back to the way it was before – you know how it was before?  You want to go get a job?  You apply for a job, your perspective employer finds out that your wife might have breast cancer, that's going to hike up the insurance rates for the whole firm?  See you later.

Now that's what we were living with before.  They told me, ‘You're poor risk, you've had five children.'  I said, ‘I've had five children, I'm stronger than you are.'  What do you mean, ‘poor risk'?

But you know, in other words, if you're a woman, it's no longer a pre-existing condition, you know that.  And we all have said:  we don't care about the politics.  Elective office is about getting results for the American people.  If the Republicans want to help do that, the election is less relevant.  And that's where we'd like to see a result for the American people.  I think we have to go now though.  Thank you all.