DPCC Co-Chair Jeffries: Republican Partisan Attacks on Health Care Have Failed

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WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy & Communications Committee (DPCC), appeared on MSNBC with Congressman Dan Donovan from New York to discuss how Democrats and Republicans must work together to ensure access to quality, affordable health care. Below are excerpts from the interview. Click here to watch video

"We have an opportunity to reset the dial now. It's important to recognize that health care is not a Democratic issue, a Republican issue, an Independent Issue – a blue state or a red state issue - it's an American issue and it impacts every single American family – those that are represented by Democrats and Republicans."

"For too long, we've been dealing with the health care dynamic through partisan lenses. I believe [the ACA] is a tremendous step forward for the American people in terms of protecting them against preexisting conditions; making sure women can't be discriminated against solely on basis of their gender; allowing young people to stay on their parents' health insurance through the age of 26; [and] 20 million plus people gaining health care that's affordable that they otherwise wouldn't have it. But we have challenges with respect to the Affordable Care Act moving forward. We can keep what works and strengthen what doesn't. The only way that can happen in a meaningful fashion is if Democrats and Republicans – like Dan and I – are willing to work together to solve this issue on behalf of the American people."

"It's not a bill I can support right now in its current form in terms of TrumpCare. The notion that we went from 23 million people who were going to lose health insurance with the House version to 22 million people going to lose health insurance under the Senate version; that people between the age of 50 and 64 would be paying three and four times the amount they currently pay for health insurance; [and] that co-pays would go up. So I think we have to start over and start over in a bipartisan fashion. The Leadership on the other side of the aisle made a decision early that repeal and replace would be done in a partisan way – that approach has failed. I think Democrats are now prepared to extend our open arms to find common ground in a meaningful way on behalf of the people we represent."