BOSTON, MA — Robert Restuccia, executive director of Community Catalyst, has denounced the Senate’s passage of a budget resolution to pave the way for repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

“Early this morning, Senate Republicans continued in their reckless plan to dismantle the ACA without a replacement in place, jeopardizing health care coverage for 30 million Americans. Their plan to repeal the ACA without any sort of replacement – a plan opposed by two-thirds of Americans – illustrates their desire to settle political grudges, cut taxes for the rich by hiking taxes on the middle class and cater to a hardcore section of their base instead of doing what’s right for the American people.

“The GOP has had six years to come up with a viable replacement for the ACA, and they have failed to do so. It is appropriate that the budget resolution passed today as a vehicle to dismantle the ACA is essentially empty. It is just like their non-existent ‘replacement plan’ – a car with no engine, a lemon they are attempting to swindle the American people into purchasing.

“What few replacement ideas we have seen from Republicans do have some common threads: They would cut taxes for the rich while increasing taxes on the middle class by taking away tax credits to purchase coverage. They would, according to a recent report from George Washington University, cause the loss of approximately 2.6 million jobs and undermine our 75 straight months of job growth. They would shift the economic burden of health care onto the backs of seniors and working families while doubling the number of uninsured children.

“We will continue to push members of Congress to listen to their constituents and put people’s health and financial security ahead of tax cuts for the wealthiest households and corporations. There should not be a single vote to repeal the ACA until congressional Republicans have a comprehensive replacement plan to show the American people.”

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About Community Catalyst
Community Catalyst is a national, non-profit consumer advocacy organization founded in 1998 with the belief that affordable quality health care should be accessible to everyone. We work in partnership with national, state and local organizations, policymakers, and philanthropic foundations to ensure consumer interests are represented wherever important decisions about health and the health system are made: in communities, courtrooms, statehouses and on Capitol Hill. For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org. Read our blog at http://blog.communitycatalyst.org. Follow us on Twitter @healthpolicyhub.