Indian-origin lawmakers have supported the Obamacare over a bill that aims to replace the landmark achieved by former president Barack Obama, alleging that the new order passed by the House of Representatives would kick off about 24 million Americans of the health care plans.
The four lawmakers from the Democratic Party, Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal and Raja Krishnamoorthi have voted against the bill, which was hailed by the President Donald Trump and his Republican house.
“While the House Republicans celebrate at the White House, millions of hardworking Americans are worrying about whether they will be able to stay on their health care plans,” said Congressman Ami Bera.
“I don’t want to go back to a time when my patients would have to make healthcare decisions based on their insurance coverage, and this bill is going to make it a lot harder for people with treatable diseases like arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and survivors of cancer and assault to get health care,” he said.
“We cannot play politics with people’s lives, and what happened today put political goals ahead of the lives of hardworking Americans. The fact that this bill was rushed through with no budget analysis or public debate shows just how bad it is. This is a sad day for America’s patients, and for the public’s trust in Congress,” Bera said.
Pramila Jayapal, who is the first Indian-origin woman lawmaker, alleged that it is a dereliction of duty that Republicans passed this “immoral, unconscionable” bill that strips 24 million Americans of their health care, cuts $880 billion from Medicaid, and strips coverage from 133 million Americans with pre-existing conditions.
“This bill will raise premiums and deductibles for millions of Americans across our country to transfer almost $1 trillion in tax cuts to millionaires, billionaires and corporations,” she said.
Jampal intends to continue to fight every single day to protect and expand health care and to hold those accountable who do not do so.
Ro Khanna said that Republicans chose to cut down the progress made on improving country’s health and instead put the country on a path to higher costs, less coverage, fewer protections, and larger premiums.
“All for a massive tax cut for millionaires and billionaires,” he said.
“Today, the House had a choice. We could cast a vote to uphold our country’s values and keep people healthy, keep them secure, and keep improving care. Or a vote could be made that places corporate interests ahead of working families’ livelihood. I am disappointed to say that the latter happened,” Khanna said.
“We lost today, but that doesn’t mean we have to like it. We can still stop,” Krishnamoorthi said.
Bera said that the passage of the bill would politically hit the Republican lawmakers.
“I think a lot of them know this was a very difficult vote, that’s going to hurt a lot of their own constituents,” he said.
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