TUMULTUOUS WEEK IN WASHINGTON
D.C., AS REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF
THE HOUSE SEEM TO BE TALKING
AMONG THEMSELVES RATHER THAN
LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE WHO SENT
THEM TO REPRESENT THEM.
THEY SEEM TO BE DISCUSSING HOW
TO MAKE A BAD BILL EVEN WORSE IN
ORDER TO TRY TO FIND A MAJORITY.
IT'S QUITE STUNNING TO BEHOLD.
>> NOW, IF IT DOES PASS THE
HOUSE, WHICH IS UNCLEAR ONLY NEEDS 51 VO
THE SENATE.
DO YOU THINK IT COULD PASS
THERE?
>> CERTAINLY NOT IN ANY FORM
RESEMBLING WHAT THEY ARE
DEBATING RIGHT NOW IN THE HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES.
WE HAVE ALREADY HAD SEVERAL OF
MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES FOR
VARIOUS REASONS SAY THIS IS A
NON-STARTER WITH THEM IN THE
SENATE.
BUT I ACTUALLY HOPE THE HOUSE
DOES WHAT'S RIGHT WHEN THEY
VOTE, WE ANTICIPATE LATER TODAY,
AND TURN IT BACK.
THIS IS CLEARLY SOMETHING THAT
HARMS WISCONSINITE, IT HARMS
AMERICANS IN TERMS OF HIGHER
COSTS FOR LESS CARE, SHORTENING
THE SOLVENCY OF MEDICARE,
CAPPING AND CUTTING MEDICAID,
PUTTING RURAL CLINICS AND
HOSPITALS IN JEOPARDY OF HAVING
TO SHUT OUT THE LIGHTS.
WITH BIG TAX GIVE AWAYS TO THE
WEALTHIEST.
IT'S BAD NEWS ON EVERY FRONT AND
ESPECIALLY AFTER READING REPORTS
ACROSS OUR STATE IN THE LAST
WEEK OF HOW HARSHLY THIS IMPACTS
BOTH WESTERN AND NORTHERN
WISCONSIN, AND OLDER AMERICANS
IN WISCONSINITES, 45 AND ABOVE,
I JUST HOPE THEY FIND THE
RESOLVE TO LISTEN TO THEIR
CONSTITUENTS AND VOTE NO.
>> IF THIS REPEAL AND REPLACE
EFFORT FAILS, THE PRESIDENT SAID
HE'S ALREADY READY TO MOVE ON
AND LET OBAMACARE STAND.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT, OR THE FUTURE TO
REFORM, IF THIS FAILS?
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IF
THIS FAILS, WE SHOULD START
DOING WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN
DOING FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS,
AND THAT IS CONSTANTLY WORKING
TOGETHER TO STRENGTHEN OUR
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, TO LOWER
COSTS, TO INCREASE COMPETITIONS,
AND TO STAND UP TO THOSE
POWERFUL FOLKS THAT ARE SORT OF
RIGGING THINGS IN THEIR FAVOR,
IN PARTICULAR I WOULD MENTION
THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES
THAT WE ARE SEEING DOUBLE,
TRIPLE, QUADRUPLE THE PRICE OF
LIFESAVING DRUGS LIKE THE EPIPEN
WE SAW LAST YEAR, AND SEEING IN
A CONTINUING FASHION THIS YEAR.
THERE'S NO REASON AT ALL WHY THE
CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES
SHOULDN'T WORK TOGETHER TO
CONFRONT THE REAL CHALLENGES
THAT EXIST IN ANY COMPLEX SYSTEM
LIKE HEALTH CARE.
BUT REPUBLICANS HAVE CONFUSED,
OR HAVE REFUSED AND HAVE SAID
REPEAL, REPEAL, REPEAL, FOR
SEVEN YEARS, AND NOW LOOK WHERE
THIS HAS PUT US.E WAY ALONG.
HEALTH SYSTEMS ARE COMPLEX, AND
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT GAVE
PEOPLE ACCESS TO HEALTH
INSURANCE WHO HADN'T HAD IT
BEFORE.
AND IT WAS WONDERFUL IN THAT
RESPENT.
PEOPLE WHO HAD PREEXISTING
HEALTH CONDITIONS OR WHO HAD
INSURANCE BUT HAD ANNUAL OR
LIFETIME CAPS THAT SENT THEM TO
MEDICAL BANKRUPTCY.
BUT EVEN THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
WAS NOT THE END.
CERTAINLY NOT PERFECT.
AND AS WE SAW PRICES GO UP, WE
NEED TO VIGILANTLY AND
CONSTANTLY BE WORKING TOGETHER
TO CONFRONT THAT, WHETHER THAT'S
WORKING ON THE ISSUE OF THE HIGH
COST OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION
OR WHETHER IT'S TRYING TO
INTRODUCE MORE COMPETITION SO
THAT PEOPLE CAN HAVE CHOICES AND
BE ABLE TO AFFORD THEIR PREMIUMS
AND DEDUCTIBLES.
AS WE HAVE SEEN THIS TRUMPCARE,
THIS REPUBLICAN PROPOSAL TO
REPEAL AND REPLACE SETS ALL OF
THOSE INDICATORS IN THE WRONG
DIRECTION.
SO AGAIN, I HOPE THAT TODAY,
LATER TODAY, THAT THE
REPUBLICANS WOULD CHECK THE
PROPOSAL AND WE GET BACK TO
WORKING ACROSS THE PARTY AISLE
ON SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS
EVERYBODY WE REPRESENT.
>> NOW, IF THIS REPEAL AND
REPLACE PLAN FAILS, ARE YOU
WORRIED REPUBLICANS COULD
UNDERMINE OBAMACARE IN OTHER
WAYS, BY CHANGING REGULATIONS AT
THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL
OR NOT FUNDING PREMIUM SUBSIDIES
IN FUTURE YEARS?
>> YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT THE
MISCHIEF-MAKING IS DONE.
THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD PUT