U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor Stands Up for Families to Keep Health Care Premiums and Immunizations Affordable

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) introduced two amendments to keep health care costs and immunizations affordable during a markup of seven bills by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Castor's first amendment would permanently extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced Premium Tax Credits (ePTCs) to keep health care premiums from skyrocketing at the end of the year. Castor's second amendment would prevent any changes from being made to the current vaccine recommendations for children, teens and adults that would result in people losing access to no-cost coverage.

"President Trump and Congressional Republicans' policies are poised to raise premiums and kick an estimated 5 million Americans off their health care coverage while making Americans sicker by taking away
our access to no-cost vaccines - breaking yet another promise made by the administration to protect consumer choice and rein in rising costs," said Rep. Castor. "Ending health coverage for cancer patients and forcing hardworking Americans to foot the bill for a billionaire's new private jet, yacht or vacation home is wrong. Time is running out for Republicans in Congress to act, and I will not give up in fighting every step of the way to keep hardworking families covered.

ACA ePTC Amendment

WATCH HERE

Remarks as prepared:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and good morning, colleagues.

My amendment would permanently extend the current Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits.

All across the country right now, families and small business owners are bracing for higher health insurance premiums.

This comes at a rotten time. Costs are already too high across the country, with people having to figure out how they will pay for utility bills, groceries, and housing.

But it doesn't have to be this way when it comes to their health insurance.

There is still time for the Congress to help the families and small business owners we represent back home by keeping their health insurance affordable.

Extending these tax credits would be the fiscally responsible and ethically right thing to do.

In July, President Trump and Congressional Republicans pushed through their Big Ugly Bill, which kicks 10 million Americans off their Medicaid and ACA coverage and makes it much more difficult for millions more to obtain and keep coverage.

While my Republican colleagues had no problem extending tax breaks for the wealthy and well-connected in the Big Ugly Bill, they failed to extend the ACA-enhanced premium tax credits that make health coverage affordable.

These tax credits are cost-saving, and they are life-saving when it comes to rural communities. The National Rural Health Association projects that if Congress doesn't act to extend the tax credits, rural enrollees will see premiums nearly double, with an average increase of $133 a month. Rural areas are also projected to see a 30% drop in Marketplace coverage and a 37% rise in the number of people without insurance at all.

When so many people do not have insurance, that affects everyone, because where do our uninsured neighbors go for their medical care? They wait and go to the ER when their health worsens, and those costs get passed on as higher insurance premiums for everyone else.

The extra burden on our hospitals and ERs will also lead to longer wait times, higher costs, and less access for everyone, no matter your insurance.

That's not fair, and that's not right, and that's why hospitals, doctors, nurses and advocates have been telling Members of Congress that if we don't act to extend these tax credits, it is really going to cause a lot of pain across the board. I hope everyone's listening to them.

There are a lot of Floridians on this Committee, and this really hits home in the Sunshine State because we didn't expand Medicaid.

We have over 4.7 million Floridians who rely on ACA coverage, nearly one-fifth of the nation's total enrollees-and 4.1 million of them use the enhanced tax credits to help pay for their premiums and keep their coverage for their families.

Think about the cancer patient who will have an interruption in service if Congress doesn't act.

Think of the family where a parent might be taking care of their kids and working part-time, but they don't have an employer who offers health insurance. Republicans are about to take away the pathway for them to do the responsible thing and keep their family covered. It's not right.

These tax credits have helped Americans afford high-quality coverage since 2021.

CBO estimates that 5 million Americans will lose their coverage if the enhanced tax credits are extended-including 1.4 million Floridians. This is on top of the 10 million who will lose their coverage from the Big Ugly Bill.

Every Member in this room has heard from neighbors who are sounding the alarm that premiums are about to skyrocket and people are going to lose their insurance. We have to act now.

We can't wait until December because insurance companies are already planning for open enrollment to begin in a few weeks.

Consumers are already getting notices about their new rates that have been raised because of Republican inaction. In Florida, health insurers are finalizing premium increases of 18.7-40.8% this month.

We have to act before the end of September, before it's too late.

Americans simply can't afford a tax increase right now with everything else that is coming down upon them.

The pain, harm and risk to families is simply too much for us not to act.

The financial implications for our health care system and our economy are simply too high not to act.

So I am beseeching you to adopt this amendment. Let's all get to work helping our neighbors instead of the special interests that often have too much power here in Washington, D.C.

Thank you, and I yield back.

Vaccine Freedom Amendment

WATCH HERE

Remarks as prepared:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I am in strong support of this bipartisan package before us that would benefit some of our most vulnerable neighbors, including children who are battling pediatric cancer and other rare diseases. This package will help these heroic families who are desperately searching for hope and options, and it will help more parents avoid the unimaginable trauma of losing a child.

One of our top priorities, rightfully in this committee, is supporting policies that keep children healthy and well.

That is why I am offering my amendment today to ensure we can keep children's access to one of the most important and most cost-effective public health tools we have: safe and effective childhood immunizations.

My amendment would prevent any arbitrary changes from being made by the administration to the current vaccination schedules for children, teens and adults that would result in people losing access to no-cost coverage.

This is not business as usual in America right now. This is not normal. We have watched this administration slash cancer research. We have seen an arbitrary halt to clinical trials. We have watched Elon Musk fire thousands of public servants and public health experts. We have seen the GOP reduce access to high-quality, affordable health coverage.

This is a five-alarm fire, and I hope everyone will join me in pulling the fire alarm.

Just a couple of weeks ago, HHS Secretary Kennedy fired the CDC Director, Dr. Monarez.

His conspiracy-laden policies and anti-science agenda are a clear and present danger to Americans.

Dr. Monarez is testifying over on the Senate side right now, but I have a copy of her testimony.

She said that:

"Secretary Kennedy directed me to commit in advance to approving every Advisory Committee on Immunization recommendation, regardless of the scientific evidence. I responded that I could not pre-approve recommendations without reviewing the evidence…Tomorrow, the reconstituted immunization panel will meet. Its composition has already raised concerns from the medical community. Based on what I've observed during my tenure, there is a real risk that recommendations could be made restricting access to vaccines for children and others in need without rigorous scientific review…The stakes are not theoretical. We have already seen the largest measles outbreak in more than 30 years, which claimed the lives of two children. If vaccine protections are weakened, preventable diseases will return."

And now this quackery is spreading.

I know many of you were caught off-guard, but none more than those of us from Florida when Governor DeSantis and our Surgeon General proposed a few weeks ago to end the safeguards surrounding childhood vaccines. They want it to no longer be required to get vaccinated for polio, Hep B, diphtheria, measles, mumps, rubella, etc., as you enter school.

The pediatricians say this is unwise. The doctors, parents and those of us who have been vaccinated in the past know this is crazy talk. It's dangerous.

It's an economic threat as well. Who wants to come to Disney World, Universal Studios, or a cruise vacation that leaves from Florida with their kids when there are no vaccine laws?

So, Mr. Chairman, this is a five-alarm fire. I reached out to you after the CDC Director was fired to say that it is our committee's job to hold hearings, have oversight, write letters, and make statements. It would be the least you could do to make a statement of concern for what is happening in health care in America.

It is our job as Members of Congress to be the adults in the room.

We know that parents want to protect their kids, and we need to make sure they know that the best way for them to do that is through safe and effective vaccinations.

We can't let RFK and his hand-picked followers upend vaccine coverage for the entire country based on quack science.

Former CDC Director Dr. Monarez refused to rubber-stamp these misguided decisions. And I hope that everyone in this room can find the courage and intestinal fortitude to stand up against ripping away no-cost vaccines from Americans as we are entering the fall respiratory virus and back-to-school season.

The least you can do is adopt this amendment to make sure kids stay healthy and well.

Thank you, and I yield back.

Under President Donald Trump, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Republicans in Congress have relentlessly attacked the U.S. health care system with policies that are expected to raise premiums, limit consumer choice and strip coverage from 15 million Americans.