Pelosi Statement on Filing Amicus Brief in Support of Affordable Care Act

January 28, 2015

Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today on the bicameral amicus brief being filed this afternoon with the Supreme Court by House and Senate Democratic authors and supporters of the Affordable Care Act. This brief is being filed today, in the case of King v. Burwell, supporting the government's position that, under the Affordable Care Act, premium tax credits are available to all eligible Americans, regardless of their home state. The brief is led by Leader Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid.

"Our amicus brief makes clear that the claims of the right-wing individuals bringing the King v. Burwell lawsuit are not based on the facts. As the brief explains, the text of the Affordable Care Act is clear: premium tax credits are available to all eligible Americans, regardless where they live. Also, the whole structure of the ACA is put together in a way to ensure access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

"A ruling for these ACA opponents would strip millions of Americans of health coverage, throw insurance markets into turmoil, and have widespread ripple effects. Indeed, the Urban Institute estimates that an adverse ruling, by taking away tax credits from millions of people, would increase the number of uninsured Americans by 8.2 million.

"As Republicans in Congress have made clear in their strong support of this lawsuit, unraveling the ACA through this outcome is precisely their intent. This politically-motivated lawsuit is an effort to accomplish through the courts what they have not been able to do legislatively: repeal the law.

"I am confident that the Supreme Court will issue the only ruling consistent with the text and structure of the ACA: ruling that premium tax credits are available to every eligible taxpayer in the nation."