VIDEO: On Senate Floor, Hirono Slams Republicans for Refusing to Address Health Care Crisis, End Government Shutdown

Sen. Hirono: "Frankly, Republicans can end the government shutdown today if they agree to restore health care to the American people."

~ Without an extension of ACA tax credits, average out-of-pocket premium costs for a family of four in Hawaii are expected to increase by more than $500 a month ~

~ Video of Senator Hirono's floor speech can be found here ~

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) took to the Senate floor to slam Republicans for choosing to shut down the government, instead of addressing the health care crisis they created. As a result of their "Big Ugly Bill" they passed earlier this year, which makes drastic cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP benefits, over 24 million Americans who receive health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace will be put at risk of losing their health care coverage.

"The truth is that Republicans are happy to make permanent, massive tax cuts for billionaires in their Big Ugly Bill, but refused-refused to make permanent tax credits hard-working families rely on to get their health care," said Senator Hirono during her remarks.

Senator Hirono's speech comes as Republicans continue to keep the government shut down because of their refusal to extend critical tax credits that help working Americans afford health insurance through the ACA. Passed in 2010, the ACA has enabled millions of people and their families to qualify and afford quality health care, many of whom-prior to the ACA-did not have any coverage at all. Republicans have long-been opposed to the ACA and have repeatedly attempted to repeal this fundamental health care reform law, effectively kicking millions of Americans off of their health care.

"Misplaced priorities are nothing new for Republicans," said Senator Hirono. "It's rich that the same Republicans who crusaded for years to get rid of the ACA now stand before the American people talking about how much they care about their health care."

With open enrollment under the ACA beginning next month, people who receive coverage under the ACA are beginning to receive notices of their increased health care premiums, and reports have estimated that health care for ACA enrollees costs will more than double nationwide. Without an extension of ACA tax credits, the average out-of-pocket premium costs for a family of four in Hawaii could increase from $10,000 to more than $16,000 a year, or more than $500 a month.

"Make no mistake, plenty of families won't be able to afford these significant hikes, and will be forced to go without health care all because Republicans refuse to act," continued Senator Hirono. "Democrats, on the other hand, know that the health, and welfare, and well-being of the American people are worth fighting for-that keeping the government running shouldn't come at the cost of Americans' health care."

"Frankly, Republicans can end the government shutdown today if they agree to restore health care to the American people. And until then, Democrats are going to keep fighting to protect Americans' health care, reopen the government, and hold this regime accountable for the harm that they are inflicting on this country every single day."

The full transcript of Senator Hirono's speech is available below. Video of Senator Hirono's floor speech is available here.

Mr. President, right now, Republicans control the White House, the House, and the Senate. In other words, Republicans control the federal government. Since day one of the Trump regime, they have used that control to sow chaos and attack programs and services that the American people rely upon.

Here are but two examples: Earlier this year, Trump tried to shut down Social Security offices across the country, making it much harder for recipients of Social Security benefits to call Social Security, find out the information they needed, and to access their benefits. So, Social Security reversed course on what I call this "lame-brain idea," to close some of the offices when they responded to the huge hue and cry from people who have said that is not something that should be happening to the Social Security recipients.

Another example. This regime slashed the Department of Education, firing more than half of the federal Education Department staff as part of an all-out assault on the federal support for public education in our country. Now, if President Trump had his way, he would just get rid of the federal Department of Education altogether. But since only Congress can do that, they did things like firing half of the staff.

So now, they're coming after programs millions of Americans rely on for their health care. Republicans created this health care crisis when they passed their Big Ugly Bill, which guts Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, among other programs. At the same time, Donald Trump zeroed out funding for research into diseases such as cancer-and when we're talking about research on children's cancer, you know, to cut out funding for that kind of research is more than mean. So, he also cut out funding for research in diabetes and Alzheimer's. So, halting studies that could unlock major breakthroughs and literally save lives.

Unsurprisingly, the majority of Americans oppose what this regime is doing regarding health care. So, Republicans know their position is indefensible, which is why they're resorting to lies and excuses. Lies that get more desperate by the day. They're lying because they don't want the American people to know the truth. And, what is that truth? The truth is that Republicans are happy to make permanent, massive tax cuts for billionaires in their Big Ugly Bill, but refused-refused to make permanent tax credits hard-working families rely on to get their health care.

Misplaced priorities are nothing new for Republicans. I was in the House when we passed the Affordable Care Act, the ACA, which expanded health care to more than 20 million Americans, who up to that point did not even have health care. I was also here in the Senate as Republicans tried over and over again to repeal the ACA and kick those millions of Americans off their health care. It's rich that the same Republicans who crusaded for years to get rid of the ACA now stand before the American people talking about how much they care about their health care.

Why should the American people believe these lies as they are, even as we speak, getting notices of the huge increases in their health care costs? American people don't believe in the Republican lies. They see right through them. So then meanwhile, Republicans, unwilling to do what the American people want, now claim that, well, expanding these credits isn't urgent-that we can do this a few months from now, we don't have to do it now, there is no sense of urgency. Another lie.

M. President, time is of the essence. Open enrollment under the ACA starts in just a few weeks and, because of Republicans' refusal to act, I repeat, people across the country are getting notices saying 'here's what your ACA premiums are going to cost you.' And the figures are astounding. Without an extension of these credits, average out-of-pocket premium costs for a family of four in Hawaii are expected to increase from $10,000 to more than $16,000 a year-an increase of more than $6,000, or $500 a month. Well, maybe in Trump's world, $500 might not sound like much, but to everybody else, that is a lot. You know, billionaires may not care that millions of people in our country are getting these notices about their increase in health care, but the rest of us do. And for so many families, these huge increases could well break the bank.

Let's face it, this is not a Red state or Blue state issue. Hardworking Americans in every state across the country rely on the ACA for health care coverage. And they're all about to see their costs skyrocket. In Speaker Johnson's home state of Louisiana, where nearly 300,000 people get their health care through the ACA, a family of four in Louisiana can expect to see their premiums increase by more than $9,000 a year. In South Dakota, Senate Leader Thune's home state, out- of-pocket costs for a family of four will increase by more than $13,000 a year. Think about that. Without action, Leader Thune's constituents will be paying $13,000 more than last year for the very same coverage and the same benefits.

Nationwide, it is estimated that health care premiums will more than double for hard-working families. Make no mistake, plenty of families won't be able to afford these significant hikes, and will be forced to go without health care all because Republicans refuse to act. Working families are awakening to this health care crisis because, and I repeat, they are getting their increase notices even as we speak. And they know who's responsible-it's the Republicans with their Big, Ugly Bill.

M. President, Trump returned to office promising to lower costs on day one. Yet another lie. Not happening. More than 250 days later, Americans are facing the fallout from this regime's reckless economic policies, including the disastrous tariffs that are decimating small businesses. So, instead of actually doing anything to lower costs for our hard-working families, the Republicans have shut down the government because they really don't care that families have to pay so much more for health care, and many of them, millions of them, are going to drop health care because they can't afford these increases. So, under the Trump regime, Americans are poorer, because notice that costs are not going down, and they are about to get sicker, when they no longer can afford the health care that was provided through the ACA tax credits.

Democrats, on the other hand, know that the health, and welfare, and well-being of the American people are worth fighting for-that keeping the government running shouldn't come at the cost of Americans' health care. I mean talk about, what I would call, a completely stupid choice. It's not even a choice. We should keep government running, but if the Republicans are so intent on giving permanent tax breaks to the billionaires, they should give the permanent tax credits to the millions of Americans who need and deserve this health care.

So frankly, Republicans can end the government shutdown today if they agree to restore health care to the American people. And until then, Democrats are going to keep fighting to protect Americans' health care, reopen the government, and hold this regime accountable for the harm that they are inflicting on this country every single day.

Mr. President, I yield back.

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