Message from Congressman Jay Inslee re: Health Care Repeal Vote

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Yesterday, I voted no on the Patients' Rights Repeal Act. I voted to keep our country moving forward, not backward.

Over the past two years, on the floor of Congress and across the country Americans discussed and debated how we should fix our healthcare system. While not everyone agreed on the way forward, we all agreed that the system was broken. Up until health reform passed, the outlook for our country's health was grim: millions were locked out of acquiring health coverage, costs were skyrocketing, and quality of care was dropping.

Out of the national conversation emerged the landmark healthcare law that is already helping Americans by improving the quality of care they receive, while lowering the cost. In fact, over 12.4 million Americans are already receiving protection, coverage or direct benefits from some portion of the bill. And it is just kicking in.

However, yesterday the new Republican majority tried to step in the way of progress and move our country backward. Click here to read a report from the House Energy and Commerce committee detailing how repeal would negatively affect residents of Washington's first district. The Patients' Rights Repeal Act, passed the House on a party line vote, but it was an empty effort as the President would veto it.

But their symbolic bill is part of a larger push to return to the way things were. Even though Americans agreed that the path we were on was unsustainable for our physical and fiscal health, the Republicans still haven't offered any alternative health care reform plan. Opposition is easy, governing is hard. The fact is, their repeal bill would give health insurance companies more control of medical decisions, take away patients' protections and rights, and add $230 billion to our growing debt.

I want you to know that I am putting my efforts to building a better country. I will continue to defend the health reform law against future attacks, and stay focused on important issues like creating jobs and getting our economy back on track. Now is a critical time for our nation and we should work together to move forward, not backward.

As your representative, I will stand for what is right and fight for your interests. That is what Washingtonians expect and deserve.