Whip Clark to GOP: “Stop This Health Care Crisis You Created Before It’s Too Late”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5) joined Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8) and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (CA-33) to condemn House Republicans for their continued refusal to stop premium hikes, reverse their health care cuts, and reopen the government. Below are excerpts from her remarks:

On the Impacts of Republicans' Health Care Crisis:

"Despite what Mike Johnson says, we do not have 'an eternity' to deal with this. Families are already finding out their premiums are about to skyrocket. Parents are realizing they cannot afford to stay insured.

"Take Shana Verstegen, a mom of two in Wisconsin who says she is 'sick to her stomach' because her monthly premiums are about to rise by $800 a month. That's $9,600 a year.

"And for what? So Republicans can cut taxes for the billionaire class at the expense of everyone else - and I mean everyone.

"This is not about party or ideology or geography. Let's ask Alan Reynolds - a proud Florida Republican. His wife has been notified that her premiums are going up $700 a month. Alan said: 'I voted for Trump. I did not expect this.'

"We are hearing stories like this every single day."

On Republicans' Health Care 'Strategy':

"Mike Johnson said he didn't have a strategy.

"C'mon, Mike. Don't sell yourself short. You do have a strategy. It's the same strategy Republicans have always had: Repeal the Affordable Care Act. Take from working families. Raise their costs. Defund their health care. And give all that money to the very, very wealthiest Americans.

"It is a losing strategy. It is an unpopular strategy.

"So Mr. Speaker, for the sake of your own constituents and mine, why don't you try a new strategy?

"Come back to work. Take a seat at the table. And let's stop this health care crisis you created before it's too late."

On Republicans Making Life Harder for Women:

"It is a crisis that will be felt by every single hardworking American in this country, but it is going to be felt first and hardest by women in this country. And [Speaker Johnson's] refusal to come and even negotiate. His saying that health care is some sort of ancillary issue to what we're dealing with here. His allowing government to shut down in order to say it's my way or the highway.

"And what we are watching happening to women is really, it is chilling to watch. If you take the fact that since the Republicans have enforced abortion bans, we have one third of all the counties in this country - there is no safe place to have a baby. There is no obstetric care. In one third of all our counties. And in some states like Georgia, that's more like 50%...

"About 40% of all births - and that's far higher in Mike Johnson's district - are covered by Medicaid. It's almost 65% of the births in Louisiana. And [Republicans are] saying that, you know, those cuts to Medicaid? This will just somehow trickle down from the billionaires and provide health care, reopen maternity wards across this country.

"We hear the dismissal. The American people hear the arrogance and the dismissal that is in all of this messaging."

On Republicans' Refusal to Serve the People:

"People coming together to peacefully protest is un-American? It's no wonder they're not showing up to their jobs. They've forgotten what they're even supposed to be doing here: representing the people, not a president."

To view the complete press conference, click HERE. To view photos, click HERE.

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