(BOSTON, MA) – Statement of Diane Felicio, interim executive director, Community Catalyst in response to a vote today in the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a resolution directing the House Counsel to intervene in the Texas v. United States lawsuit, which seeks to strike down the Affordable Care Act

“We commend Speaker Pelosi and members of the House of Representatives who today took an important step to protect Americans’ health and health care in the face of a dangerous, cynical effort to undermine it through the courts.

“By passing a resolution to direct the House counsel to intervene in a frivolous lawsuit aimed at striking down the Affordable Care Act, a House majority voted to defend pre-existing condition protections for 133 million Americans, tax credits that make health coverage affordable for 10 million people, the ability of young people under the age of 26 to join their parents’ insurance, bans on lifetime limits or annual caps on coverage as well as insurance discrimination against women, prescription drug discounts for seniors, and Medicaid expansion, which has enabled more than 15 million people gain access to health coverage. All of these critical health benefits and protections – and others – would be wiped out if a higher court does not reverse this decision.

“While we are pleased the resolution passed the House, we are disappointed that only three Republican members voted for it. Many Republican members have claimed to support people with pre-existing conditions, but they failed to act when the opportunity presented itself.  

“The House vote also follows the will of the American public as new polling shows 69 percent say it is a major concern to them that the court case would eliminate protections for pre-existing conditions. And a majority of voters (59 percent) want to see the Affordable Care Act stay in place, with fixes made to it as necessary.

“Attention now turns to the Senate, where many members on both sides of the aisle campaigned on a promise to safeguard pre-existing condition protections. We call on members of the Senate to fulfill that promise by standing up for their constituents’ health care and passing the same resolution to reverse this harmful lower court decision.”

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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, statehouses and on Capitol Hill. Headquartered in Boston, Community Catalyst has offices in Washington, DC, Atlanta, New York, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org. Follow us on Twitter @HealthPolicyHub.