Congresswoman Lee Announces She Will Vote No on Bill that Fails to Address Skyrocketing Health Care Costs

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) released the following statement announcing she will vote against legislation that fails to address skyrocketing health care costs for millions of Americans:

“For 43 days, Republicans have held America hostage. They shut down the government, illegally fired and threatened federal employees, cancelled the flights that sustain Nevadans’ jobs, and illegally starved millions of Americans for one reason: they refuse to negotiate with Democrats to make health care affordable for all Americans, including the more than 20 million Americans who rely on the ACA tax credits. I’ll remind you that while this was happening, the President hosted a fancy soirée at Mar-a-Lago – a taste of what he envisions for his new $250 million-dollar ballroom in the White House – sent $20 billion in taxpayer dollars to his buddies in Argentina, and tweeted about his new marble bathroom. Meanwhile, my constituents suffered. Now, they are set to see their health care costs increase up to fourfold.  

“While there are parts of the CR that I support, including provisions to pay federal employees, prevent further illegal layoffs, and fully fund SNAP and WIC, I will be voting no.   

“A promised vote in the Senate on health care will likely fail – that’s why congressional Republicans agreed to it. Look, House Republicans can pass this CR without me, but if they want my support, they need to work with me on a fix to make health care affordable in America.”

Throughout the government shutdown, Congresswoman Lee has continued to sound the alarm on the health care crisis facing Nevada since Republicans in Washington took away tax credits that 30,000 southern Nevadans depend on to afford their health insurance. Lee visited Federally Qualified Health Centers that could be forced to cut services, met with southern Nevadans who will face debilitating cost increases, and heard from providers who worried about what these cuts could mean for their patients. Without these credits, costs for families could rise by up to fourfold.

Congresswoman Lee also called out the reckless actions by the Trump Administration to weaponize this shutdown. She slammed the Administration’s cruel decision to take food away from hungry families by illegally withholding SNAP benefits and called out the decision to take a wrecking ball to Las Vegas’ economy by reducing flights into Harry Reid International Airport.

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