Should the House Condemn the Trump Administration’s Efforts to Eliminate Obamacare? (H. Res. 271)

What is H. Res. 271?

(Updated March 12, 2020)

This resolution would condemn the Trump administration’s support of actions that would invalidate the Affordable Care Act’s (aka Obamacare) protections for people with pre-existing conditions and the entire ACA as “an unacceptable assault on the healthcare of the American people”. It’d also express the sense of the House that the Dept. of Justice (DOJ) should cease any and all efforts to “destroy Americans’ access to affordable healthcare”, in particular by reversing its position in the ongoing Texas v. U.S. litigation. The resolution would also call on the DOJ to protect individuals with pre-existing conditions, seniors struggling with high prescription drug costs, and the millions of Americans “who newly gained health insurance coverage since 2014”.

As a simple resolution, this legislation is non-binding and wouldn’t advance beyond the House if passed.

Argument in favor

Ever since President Donald Trump was inaugurated, his administration and its Republican allies in Congress and statehouses across the country have been unrelenting in their efforts to undermine and repeal Obamacare. The House should go on record as calling for an end to attacks on Obamacare, even if it’s only a non-binding vote.

Argument opposed

It’s been clear that Obamacare was deeply flawed ever since millions of Americans lost their health insurance coverage when it took effect despite advocates’ promises they’d be able to keep them. Obamacare’s mandates have made the cost of health insurance unaffordable, and Republicans are right to try to repeal and replace it.

Impact

The Trump administration; the House of Representatives; and Obamacare.

Cost of H. Res. 271

As a non-binding resolution, this legislation would have no cost.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) introduced this resolution to condemn the Trump administration’s efforts to eliminate Obamacare:

“Americans are facing higher healthcare costs than ever, but this administration’s lawsuit would drive up prices and put coverage out of reach for thousands of Texas families. I came to Washington to get things done, and I’ll work with anyone to lower costs and defend protections for those with pre-existing conditions. I’m proud to the lead this resolution and to assure Americans that this Congress will not allow people with pre-existing conditions to go back to the days where they could be thrown off their healthcare just because they got sick.”

The Trump administration Dept. of Justice announced that it will support a district court ruling in Texas v. U.S. which found that Obamacare is unconstitutional as the case makes its way through the appeals process. The ruling held that because the tax for not complying with the individual mandate was eliminated by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the individual mandate itself is unconstitutional. Because the mandate is “essential” to and inseverable from the ACA, the judge ruled that the entire law is invalid. An appeal in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is underway, and the new House Democratic majority adopted a rules package that allows it to intervene in defense of Obamacare as the appeals process plays out.

Media:

• Sponsoring Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) Press Release

• Countable

• Countable (Obamacare Context)