Hoyer Sends Letter Urging McCarthy, House Republican Leaders to Follow Regular Order on ACA Repeal Efforts

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) sent a letter today to House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) urging him and his colleagues in the Republican leadership to ensure that any legislative efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act take place within regular order and in a fully transparent process, complete with public committee hearings, markups, and CBO scoring.  His letter reinforces a letter sent earlier by the ranking members of the Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Education and Workforce committees to their respective Republican chairs. 

“When Democrats were in the Majority in the 111th Congress and enacted the Affordable Care Act, we did so through a fully open process,” the letter reads.  “The House held 79 bipartisan markups and hearings, and we invited all stakeholders to participate in drafting the law and providing comment on its potential impact.  We spent two years making sure that every Representative, advocacy group, and industry representative had ample opportunity to share their views and provide feedback as the Affordable Care Act made its way through the legislative process and eventually to the House Floor.  We and the American people expect no less when it comes to any effort to repeal the law.”

To read the full letter, click here or see below. 

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January 13, 2017

Hon. Kevin McCarthy
Majority Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
H-107, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Majority Leader McCarthy:

Yesterday, Ranking Members Pallone, Neal, and Scott of the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Education and the Workforce, respectively, sent a letter to their Republican committee chairs with a simple and straightforward request: that any legislation repealing the Affordable Care Act, or any replacement plan, follow regular order and an open and transparent process.  I write you in support of that request and ask that the Republican House leadership make a public commitment to ensure that any repeal legislation goes through the appropriate committees and markups, complete with public hearings and receiving a full CBO score, before being brought to the House Floor.  Given the enormous, negative consequences of repealing the ACA without immediately replacing it, as you and other House Republican leaders have indicated as your intention, the American people deserve to know exactly where every Representative stands at each step in the process and to be aware of the full costs and impact of any repeal legislation. 

Repealing the Affordable Care Act would be devastating to tens of millions of Americans and their families, and it would cost our economy millions of jobs and blow a $350 billion hole in our budget in the first decade.  In addition to the 30 million who would lose coverage outright, tens of millions more would see their costs rise.  Small businesses would lose access to tax credits to help them cover their employees, and insurers could once again deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions and charge women higher premiums than men for the same coverage.  Young people under age twenty-six would no longer be eligible for coverage under their parents’ plans, and seniors on Medicare would see the cost of their prescription drugs increase. 

When Democrats were in the Majority in the 111^th Congress and enacted the Affordable Care Act, we did so through a fully open process.  The House held 79 bipartisan markups and hearings, and we invited all stakeholders to participate in drafting the law and providing comment on its potential impact.  We spent two years making sure that every Representative, advocacy group, and industry representative had ample opportunity to share their views and provide feedback as the Affordable Care Act made its way through the legislative process and eventually to the House Floor.  We and the American people expect no less when it comes to any effort to repeal the law. 

Democrats will continue to highlight the benefits of the Affordable Care Act and defend against repeal, especially repeal with no immediate and workable replacement.  Instead of undoing the law outright, we hope Republicans will recognize its positive aspects and work with us to improve it to bring costs down and expand access so more Americans can benefit from affordable health coverage.  We cannot afford to turn back the clock. 

Sincerely yours,

Steny H. Hoyer