Chairman Smith Expresses Disappointment at Republican Vote to Repeal the Affordable Care Act

NEWS FROM THE FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY
For Immediate Release: January 19th, 2011 Contact: Eric Jotkoff, (850) 222-3411
Chairman Smith Expresses Disappointment at Republican Vote to Repeal the Affordable Care Act
Today, Republicans in the House of Representatives voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Following that vote, Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith released the following statement:
“Today, House Republicans took a vote that can be viewed at best as a partisan gesture to the extreme right wing of their party and at worst can be considered an affront to millions of middle class Americans. The repeal of the Affordable Care Act, as approved by House Republicans, would have two primary consequences: Americans would be stripped of patient protections and health insurance would become more unaffordable for families and for America as a whole.
“The Republican-approved repeal legislation enables insurance companies to take away individuals’ insurance coverage when they get sick or deny it to them in the first place; it takes Americans’ health care decisions out of the hands of their doctor and puts them into the hands of their insurance provider; it enables insurance companies to raise premiums suddenly and without justification; and it increases America’s deficit by $1 trillion over the next twenty years.
“Unfortunately, Florida’s Republican Members of Congress were among those who are trying to get rid of those critical benefits – taking away Americans’ health care freedoms. They have reneged on their promise to stand up for the Sunshine State and their actions would saddle Florida’s children with unnecessary and burdensome national debt. I am extremely disappointed by the Republicans’ vote to take these protections from Florida’s families, and I applaud Florida’s Democratic leaders in Congress for doing what is necessary to protect the Affordable Care Act, protect America’s fiscal future, and protect Americans’ health care freedoms.”
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