People For the American Way

PFAW Statement on House Vote to Gut Health Care Coverage for Millions of Americans

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 4, 2017

Contact: Drew Courtney or Layne Amerikaner at People For the American Way

Email: [email protected]

Phone Number: 202-467-4999

WASHINGTON—In response to House Republicans passing the American Health Care Act, People For the American Way Executive Vice President Marge Baker released the following statement:

“In the face of sweeping opposition from people across the country, House Republicans voted today to gut health coverage for millions of Americans. This bill would fall hardest on some of the most vulnerable members of our country: seniors, low-income people, those with preexisting health conditions or disabilities, people of color, and many others. It also represents a continuation of the GOP’s ideological war on Planned Parenthood and women’s health care, including a provision making Cesarean sections, postpartum depression, sexual assault, and domestic violence ‘preexisting conditions’ that can be used to deny coverage. In those situations, being a woman will be a preexisting condition.

“This reprehensible attack on the health of their own constituents, which goes directly against promises made time and again by Republicans, underscores just how extreme and heartless their party has become. Today’s vote shows the true face of the GOP: a party more committed to partisan politics than to the health and lives of their own constituents.”

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and defend constitutional values including free expression, religious liberty, equal justice under the law, and the right to meaningfully participate in our democracy.

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