Press Releases
Currently showing results related to The Affordable Care Act
Committee Chairs Call on Trump Administration to Abandon Rollback of Anti-Discrimination Protections in Health Care
08.15.19 WASHINGTON - Today, Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (MA-01), and Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar urging the Department to withdraw a proposal that would severely undermine civil rights protections under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). On June 14, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services published a proposed rule that would … Continue Reading
Top Democrats File Amicus Brief Opposing the Unlawful Expansion of Junk Insurance Plans
07.24.19 WASHINGTON - Top House Democrats filed an amicus brief in federal court this week opposing the Trump administration's unlawful expansion of association health plans (AHPs), which purposefully circumvents key consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The brief was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for District of Columbia Circuit, which is hearing the administration's appeal of a district court ruling that the administration's attempt to expand is unlawful. In the brief, the Democr… Continue Reading
Committees Call on White House and DOJ to Stop Withholding Documents on Decision to Attack the Constitutionality of the ACA and Undermine Pre-Existing Condition Protections
05.14.19 WASHINTON-Five House Committees sent letters to the White House and the Department of Justice demanding documents in response to a request made more than a month ago regarding the Trump Administration's sudden decision to reverse its legal position in court and assert that the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) should be held unconstitutional. The letters were signed by Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairman Elijah E. Cummings, Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr., Co… Continue Reading
Scott, Foxx Statement on Surprise Medical Billing
05.09.19 WASHINGTON - Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Ranking Member Virginia Foxx (NC-05) released the following joint statement after the White House summit on surprise medical billing. "Last month, this Committee held the first-ever congressional hearing on surprise medical billing. That discussion revealed bipartisan support for a solution that protects patients and their families from the financial and emotional harm of unexpected out-of-pocket health care costs. We remain committed to working ac… Continue Reading
Education and Labor Committee Approves Bill to Reverse the Trump Administration’s Expansion of Short-Term, Junk Health Plans
04.09.19 WASHINGTON - Today, the Committee on Education and Labor approved H.R. 1010, legislation to reverse the Trump administration's "Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance" rule. The bill would strengthen consumer protections and shield Americans from higher health care costs by halting the expansion of short-term health plans, otherwise known as junk plans. On August 3, 2018, the Trump administration finalized a rule to expand short-term, limited duration plans, adding to the long list of its effor… Continue Reading
House Chairs Seek Documents from Trump Administration on Sudden Decision to Stop Defending Health Care Law
04.09.19 WASHINGTON -Five House Committee Chairs sent letters to the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the White House requesting documents and information regarding the involvement of White House officials in the Administration's troubling decision to not defend the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The letters were signed by Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott, Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairman Elijah E. Cum… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott: AHP Ruling is a Victory for Workers, Consumers
03.28.19 WASHINGTON - Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after a federal court partially invalidated the Trump administration's rule expanding the reach of Association Health Plans (AHPs). "Today's ruling is an important victory for workers and consumers who would be harmed by the administration's decision to expand the reach of association health plans. The Department of Labor's final rule is one of numerous examples of this administration's efforts to sabotage the Affordable C… Continue Reading
House Health Committee Leaders Blast Trump Administration’s Refusal to Defend the ACA, Imperiling Health Care for Millions
03.26.19 WASHINGTON - House Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA), Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) issued the following joint statement today after the Trump administration wrote to the Fifth Circuit urging the court to uphold the district court ruling in Texas v. United States striking down the entirety of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). "The Trump Administration is now actively supporting a lawsuit that would cause millio… Continue Reading
Democratic Health Leaders Tell Trump to End Attacks on Americans’ Health Care
11.16.18 WASHINGTON - Democratic leaders on health care committees in the House and Senate today called on the Trump administration to cease their continued attacks on affordable, comprehensive health care for Americans, following a proposed change to the interpretation of Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act that would further open the door to junk insurance plans and undermine health care for people with pre-existing conditions. "We write to express our serious concerns that the Administration's ne… Continue Reading
Democratic Health Leaders Raise Concerns about Undermining Comprehensive Health Care
06.19.18 WASHINGTON – Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ways and Means Ranking Member Richard Neal (MA-01), and Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) issued the following statement after the Department of Labor finalized a rule to rollback health coverage protections by expanding association health plans. "The administration’s rule expanding the use of association health plans is yet another attack on Americans’ access to affo… Continue Reading
Democratic Health Leaders Respond to Trump Administration’s Attack on Access to Affordable Care and the Rule of Law
06.08.18 WASHINGTON - Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ways and Means Ranking Member Richard Neal (MA-01), and Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) issued the following statement after the Department of Justice told a federal court that it will not defend the key patient protections in Affordable Care Act. The brief, filed yesterday in Texas v United States, breaks with the Department's longstanding tradition of defending laws enacted by Congress r… Continue Reading
In Secretary Azar’s First Appearance Before the Committee, Democrats Seek Answers on Health Care Sabotage, Attacks on Civil Rights
06.06.18 WASHINGTON - Today, in Secretary Alexander Azar's first appearance before the Committee, Democrats expressed deep concerns about the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sabotage of the Affordable Care Act, its proposed cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and other health programs, and its efforts to erode basic civil rights protections for people across the country, particularly women and LGBTQ Americans. Members used the rare opportunity to question Secretary Azar to seek explanations for t… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on Executive Order to Cut Benefits
04.11.18 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) asking Departments to examine federal programs that support working families. "The Trump administration and Congressional Republicans want to pay for their $1.5 trillion tax cut for the wealthy and corporations by undermining federal programs on which millions of working families depend. By adding unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles and punitive work requirements, th… Continue Reading
Scott, Pallone Urge HHS Secretary Azar to Protect, Not Undermine, Civil Rights in Health Care
03.28.18 WASHINGTON - Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) sent a public comment letter urging Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar to withdraw a harmful proposed rule that would allow hospitals, doctors, and other individuals and institutions to deny care to patients based on religious beliefs. The Members raised concerns that the HHS's Office for Civil Rights' proposed rule would ultimately allow fo… Continue Reading
Top Health Democrats’ Statement on Anniversary of Affordable Care Act
03.23.18 WASHINGTON - Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and Ways and Means Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA)-the top Democrats on committees with jurisdiction over the Affordable Care Act (ACA)-today released the following joint statement to highlight the eighth anniversary of the law: "Today marks the eighth anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, legislation that ended decades of insurance companies price gougi… Continue Reading
Scott: Trump’s Budget Proposal Shortchanges Students and Workers
02.12.18 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the White House released an outline of its Fiscal Year 2019 budget priorities. "The administration's budget proposal does not prioritize America's students and workers. President Trump's budget hurts students by eliminating vital early childhood and K-12 education programs to divert $1 billion to private school vouchers; slashing federal grant aid to make coll… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Medicaid Work Requirement Waivers
01.11.18 WASHINGTON - Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement in response to the Trump administration's guidance to state Medicaid directors encouraging work requirements designed to bar Americans from accessing health care services. "The administration's guidance today paves the way for states to establish work requirements for Medicaid recipients. This action is another attempt to erode popular programs on which families across the country de… Continue Reading
Democratic Health Leaders Raise Concerns about Undermining Comprehensive Health Care
01.04.18 WASHINGTON – Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ways and Means Ranking Member Richard Neal (MA-01), and Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) issued the following statement after the Department of Labor issued a proposed rule to rollback health coverage protections by expanding association health plans. “Today, the Administration took further steps to undermine the health and well-being of the American people. The Depa… Continue Reading
Top Democrats Urge Departments to Rescind Harmful Actions Taking Away Coverage for Preventive Services for Women
12.06.17 WASHINGTON - Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (MA-01), and Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ-06) sent a letter to Health and Human Services Acting Secretary Eric Hargan, Department of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, and Department of the Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to share their comments on the Interim Final Rules (IFRs) that allow employers and institutions of … Continue Reading
Committee Democrats Hold Trump Administration Accountable for Anti-Worker Agenda
11.15.17 WASHINGTON - TODAY, the Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary R. Alexander Acosta testified before the full Committee on Education and the Workforce. As the Secretary, Mr. Acosta is the steward of the laws that govern our nation's workplaces and promote a fairer economy for all. Secretary Acosta's testimony comes at a critical time for America's working people. Despite low levels of unemployment, millions of workers are still struggling to make ends meet and get ahead in the workplace. Rather tha… Continue Reading