WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and Ranking Member of the Social Security Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks on the House floor in opposition to the House Republican bill which would deny Americans patient rights and protections: 

“It took 19 presidents and 100 years dating back to President Teddy Roosevelt to open the door to all Americans to quality health care that is centered on the patient-doctor relationship.

“105 million Americans who will fall ill, no longer will have a lifetime limit on the coverage they receive from their health insurance company.

“Up to 17 million children today who have pre-existing conditions cannot be denied coverage by an insurance company.

“6.5 million young adults under the age of 26 today can stay on the health care policy of their parents.

“5.5 million seniors today received an average of $600 to help cover the cost of their prescription drugs when they fall into the so-called doughnut hole.

“360,000 small businesses in America, men and women who own their own business, got assistance through a tax credit to help provide health insurance coverage to their employees.

“13 million Americans will benefit in insurance premium rebates from insurance companies who must now show that they're spending the premium money they get from those Americans for health care, not on paying CEO salaries or not on profits.

“$1.1 billion in rebates for 13 million Americans.

“And perhaps the most important thing that most Americans don't recognize, the $1,000 that those of us who do have health insurance throughout America that we pay in premiums to our insurance companies to cover care that -- not for us and our families -- but for those who don't have insurance, the free riders, that will start to drop.

“Those are the things that are at stake.

“Yet, while it took 100 years to get to this point, it has taken our Republican colleagues a year and a half to vote over 30 times to try to repeal these patient rights and protections. Patient's rights and protections that President Obama promised, this Congress delivered and the Supreme Court affirmed.

“My colleagues say that to repeal and replace these patient's rights and protections is the right way to go, but the only thing we have seen from them on this floor is all repeal and no replace. It's time for this Congress to get to work on the most important thing before us, getting Americans back to work.

“Let us vote this down and get to work.”