DPCC Co-Chair Cartwright: We Need To Protect Access to Health Care and Rebuild Our Infrastructure
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Matt Cartwright, Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC), appeared on Sunday Morning Futures on FOX News to discuss how Democrats were working For The People during recess. Cartwright also talked about the ramifications of repealing the Affordable Care Act without a replacement plan, and the need to refocus on an infrastructure plan. Cartwright emphasized that House Democrats are fighting to lower health care costs and prescription drug prices, rebuild America's infrastructure, and take on corruption in Washington. Below are excerpts from the interview.Click here to watch the video
"Yeah, look, the Democratic caucus is a big tent, as you know Maria. We have voices giving opinions, a wide range of ideas and thoughts. The Judiciary Committee is no exception. Here is my approach. First of all you referred to our six week recess as if we weren't working in that time; almost all members of Congress do work during their recess and what we do is we get around our districts. And we have town halls and we have coffee with your congressman. And I do that a lot because that's why we call it The People's House, Maria, because we listen to the people at home. And what I'm hearing is that people care about the
"For example, on health care, what we want to do is continue to expand availability and bring down prices. You know one thing that we're very concerned about is the current administration is trying to invalidate the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in court, which would bring 130 million Americans who are protected against jacking up insurance rates because they have preexisting conditions. That Act protects them, and if it's declared unconstitutional –the way the current administration wants to do – their protections are washed away and they're left hanging in the breeze with nowhere to go for their health insurance. So shoring up the ACA is a big part of what I'm interested in. And looking for a way to expand on that, and to bring down the cost of pharmaceuticals by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices. Right now it's illegal to do and Democrats want to change that."
"I was dismayed that that conversation stopped at that point, Maria, because we have to focus on infrastructure. We have to make America as competitive as possible".