Enabled by Senate GOP, Washington Republicans Filing Briefs Supporting Lawsuit to Eliminate Pre-Existing Conditions Protections

Today, the Trump administration is expected to formally file briefs in support of the Republican-led lawsuit that would strike down the entire Affordable Care Act, eliminating protections for people with pre-existing conditions while kicking an estimated 20 million Americans off their health insurance. The latest development in the GOP’s crusade to attack pre-existing conditions coverage, Medicaid expansion, and other health care benefits while giving the richest 0.1% a massive tax windfall comes in the middle of a pandemic that has left millions of Americans unemployed and newly uninsured.

“Millions of Americans have lost their health coverage amid a global public health crisis, yet Republicans are still charging forward with their plan to ‘terminate’ the health care law that protects people with pre-existing conditions and expanded Medicaid,” said DSCC spokesperson Helen Kalla. “Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans have consistently put the health and well-being of their constituents at risk for a reckless partisan agenda, and they will be held accountable for their toxic records come November.”

Every Republican senator voted for the GOP tax bill that set this lawsuit in motion. Even now, amid a global public health crisis, not one Republican incumbent or candidate has taken meaningful steps to stop the GOP’s lawsuit against the ACA.

Here’s what they’ve said:

• Senator Dan Sullivan (AK) was a self-proclaimed lead attorney general in a previous legal effort to overturn the ACA and supports a repeal of the health care law.

• Senator Martha McSally (AZ) says it’s “not my role” to oppose the lawsuit and has “spent years waging war against the Affordable Care Act,” voting at least five times to undermine protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

• Senator Cory Gardner (CO) initially dodged questions about the lawsuit before endorsing the GOP’s argument that the health care law is unconstitutional.

• Senator David Perdue (GA) has admitted all along that he “of course” wanted the lawsuit to succeed.

• Senator Kelly Loeffler (GA) has said she supports President Trump’s agenda – which includes this lawsuit – “100%.”

• Congressman Doug Collins (GA) repeatedly voted to repeal the health care law and gut pre-existing conditions protections in the House.

• Senator Joni Ernst (IA) has dodged questions about the lawsuit with answers like “I’m not saying whether I support it or not” and “I am not an attorney” despite a long history of voting to tear down the health care law and bragging about having the “courage” to gut coverage protections that Iowans with pre-existing conditions rely on.

• Senator Mitch McConnell (KY) has led Senate Republicans in their efforts to repeal the health care law and stack the federal courts with anti-health care judges.

• Senator Susan Collins (ME) helped pass the reckless GOP tax plan that laid the foundation for her party’s dangerous lawsuit and even said she “would support it again today” — Collins also cast the deciding vote last year in a key Senate committee to block a study on the impact of the GOP’s lawsuit.

• Failed politician John James (MI) has called the ACA a “monstrosity” and vowed to “work [his] tail off” to repeal the law that guarantees coverage for pre-existing conditions.

• Senator Steve Daines (MT) “did not directly answer when asked if he supports the lawsuit” and has dodged questions.

• Senator Thom Tillis (NC) embraced the lawsuit and explained: “I support anything that ultimately takes [the ACA] off the table.”

• Senator Lindsey Graham (SC) “vowed” to follow through on repeal of the ACA if Republicans win the 2020 election.

• Senator John Cornyn (TX) is among “the ACA’s most relentless opponents” and was “repeal’s top salesman,” and he has dodged questions on the lawsuit by saying things like: “I support having the courts make the decision.”

###