16TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

16TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 57 (Thursday, March 26, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 57 (Thursday, March 26, 2026)] [House] [Page H2718] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] 16TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (Mrs. Sykes of Ohio was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mrs. SYKES. Madam Speaker, today, I rise on behalf of the families of Ohio's 13th Congressional District as we mark a momentous occasion: the 16th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare. This law, championed by former President Barack Obama, changed the course of history and brought affordable, accessible healthcare within reach for millions of Americans. For 16 years, the ACA has been a lifeline. It has shown what is possible when we put people first. Because of ObamaCare, more than 50 million Americans have gained health coverage, including tens of thousands of my own constituents. In my district, about 32,000 people currently rely on ACA coverage. Ninety percent of them depended on the enhanced premium tax credit to make that coverage even more affordable. Four out of five were able to find plans for $10 or less per month. The ACA has allowed more than 133 million Americans with preexisting conditions to be protected, and young people can stay on their parents' health insurance until they are 26 years old. Essential benefits, from prescription drugs to preventive care, are guaranteed. These are not just policies. They are protections that people rely on every single day. Democrats worked to strengthen the Affordable Care Act by lowering premiums and putting an average of $2,400 back into the pockets of working families. We pushed to extend these tax credits and keep costs down. I have cosponsored legislation and supported efforts to force a vote on the House floor because my constituents cannot afford delays and the impact of the enhanced tax credits no longer being available. It is why I have continued to prioritize lowering costs that place real pressure on families from healthcare to housing, gas, groceries, and energy prices. Lowering healthcare costs isn't just one issue. It is central to whether families can afford to live, work, and thrive. That safety net is now gone. On January 1, the Republicans let the enhanced ACA tax credits expire. Now, families across Ohio's 13th Congressional District are seeing their premiums jump by hundreds of dollars a month or thousands of dollars a year. Americans cannot afford to continue paying the price for Republicans' failed leadership. The consequences are real, and they are immediate. I constantly hear from my constituents that the cost of living is too high, and it is only getting worse. Our economy is unaffordable for working people, and it is pushing the American Dream out of reach. Eight out of every 10 people enrolled in the ACA marketplace plans are experiencing higher premiums this year. Three out of four are worried about affording emergency care. Nearly 80 percent say that ending these tax credits was the wrong decision. I agree. Families are having to cut back on groceries to afford prescriptions. Seniors are skipping care. Workers are dropping coverage altogether because they simply cannot keep up with the rising costs and Trump's tax from the war. Instead of action, we, unfortunately, keep seeing obstruction. This is a part of a broader and very deeply troubling pattern. For 16 years, Republicans have tried to dismantle ObamaCare and oppose our healthcare reforms, with nothing else to offer. They tried to take us back to a time when care was out of reach, when people could be denied coverage for preexisting conditions, and when a single diagnosis can mean financial ruin. Now, they are closer than ever. Through their big, ugly bill, Republicans cut more than $1 trillion from our healthcare system, gutting marketplaces, driving up premiums, and making it harder for families to get the care that they need, all while prioritizing tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans and corporations. The American people are feeling the squeeze. Madam Speaker, the choice before us is clear: We can continue down this path where premiums soar, coverage disappears, and families are left to fend for themselves, or we can act, restore affordability, strengthen the ACA, and stand up for the people who sent us here to serve them. For the families of Ohio's 13th Congressional District and for millions across this country, the time to act is now. Trust and believe, I will be right there with you. ____________________