Message to America
By Congressman Andre Carson (D-IN)/ 3.23.11
It has been one year since the Affordable Care Act became law, giving Americans freedom and control over their health care choices. Today, millions of Americans no longer have to live with the fear of losing their coverage if they get sick. Now parents do not have to worry about their children being denied coverage because of a preexisting condition. Our seniors are finally seeing the Medicare Part D prescription drug donut hole begin to close and small businesses are receiving tax credits for providing health care insurance to their employees.
These are just a few of the improvements that Americans are seeing right now, with more benefits set to take effect in the next few years. Yet, as more Americans than ever before are gaining access to the quality health care they deserve, many in Congress are fighting to repeal the new law and return struggling Americans to the hardships they had faced for decades.
Using difficult economic times as cover, Republicans in Congress continue their march to repeal health care reform. They want to put insurance companies back in charge of medical decisions, kick young people off their parent’s insurance before the age of 26 and keep prescription drug prices high for our seniors.
The damage a repeal would cause is real, but it is not only limited to the health of Americans. It hurts our country’s economic vitality as well.
According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the Affordable Care Act will reduce the deficit by a total of $210 billion over the next 10 years. It also estimates that the law will reduce the deficit by around one-half percent of GDP over the following 10 years. Economists estimate that this would amount to more than $1 trillion in savings.
But the evidence that health care reform is stimulating our economy goes far beyond economic projects. Since the passage of this bill, the economy has grown at an average annual rate of 2.7 percent, and we have seen the creation of nearly 1.4 million private sector jobs. In part because of the Affordable Care Act, this February’s unemployment report showed a drop to the lowest rate since April 2009.
These are encouraging signs that our economy is coming back. But we know that there is still a long way to go and we must not lose focus of the number one priority – putting Americans back to work. Republican attempts to move our country backwards and strip Americans of new health care rights show a total disregard for that important goal.
As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus leadership team I am proud that the CBC has remained steadfast and committed to ensuring equal access to healthcare for all Americans. We will continue to defend the change we have all worked so diligently for as we have done since the CBC was formed in 1971.
Contact: Jason Tomcsi – 317.927.4218 (Office) or 317.448.3148 (Cell)
