Udall, Heinrich Join All Senate Democrats in Telling Trump Administration: Don’t Repeal Affordable Care Act During Public Health Crisis

WASHINGTON –U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined all Senate Democrats in introducing a Senate resolution condemning the Trump administration’s “reckless” effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA) during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The Trump Department of Justice (DOJ) just last week filed a Supreme Court brief arguing the entire law should be struck down. The resolution demands that the DOJ defend the lifesaving law in court.

If the ACA is repealed, New Mexicans who have pre-existing conditions could once again face insurmountable financial barriers to accessing the health care they need. New Mexico could lose billions of dollars in federal support for health care, causing significant job losses and jeopardizing the viability of New Mexico’s rural and Tribal hospitals. Furthermore, tens of thousands of New Mexicans would be thrown off of Medicaid if the state’s Medicaid expansion is rolled back by a repeal of the ACA. The resolution urges the DOJ to protect the millions of people who rely on the ACA for health care coverage amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has infected more than 2.4 million Americans and killed more than 125,000.

“Quality and affordable health care is both a moral imperative and the best policy to protect public health in New Mexico and across the country,” said Udall. “While confronting the worst public health crisis in a century, and with millions of Americans and New Mexicans losing their health insurance along with their jobs, the Trump administration is trying to rip away quality health care from American families. It is unconscionable. The administration must immediately stop its efforts to repeal this essential healthcare law, and instead work with us to expand health care and lower costs for New Mexicans.”

“Now more than ever, New Mexicans need access to health care and protections for those with preexisting conditions,” said Heinrich. “The COVID-19 pandemic has already created a number of financial uncertainties and health concerns and any attempt to dismantle the Affordable Care Act could have life-threatening impacts. In the midst of the greatest public health crisis of our time, the Trump administration needs to recognize the needs and health concerns of Americans and put an end to this foolish crusade. The ACA has already yielded numerous benefits, and I'll continue fighting to ensure that every family in New Mexico has access to quality and affordable health care.”

The resolution, led by U.S. Senator Jon Tester of Montana, is also cosponsored by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Dick Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

The full resolution is available HERE.