WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) lambasted House Republicans’ health care charade that would drive up premiums and reduce access to quality, affordable health care coverage, and instead called for the immediate consideration of House Democrats’ discharge petition to force a vote on extending the critical Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced Premium Tax Credit (ePTC). Over 540,000 Tampa Bay residents and 4.7 million Floridians rely on the ACA for health coverage.

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I rise to oppose this Republican charade and to stand up for my neighbors back home who deserve quality, affordable health coverage. That includes over half a million of my hard-working neighbors across the Tampa Bay area, 4.7 Floridians, or one in five who live in the Sunshine State, who are doing everything right.

They're entrepreneurs, they're caregivers, they're part-time workers and small business owners like Linda Meisner and her husband, whose premium will go from $288 per month to over $3,200 per month next year. They cannot afford $39,000 for their health care. They are terrified that they're going to lose everything. And David, who is being treated for pancreatic cancer, who is unsure how he will continue treatments and afford everything else.

It is unconscionable that Republicans are ripping away coverage to fund their tax breaks for billionaires and the wealthy and the well-connected. Americans deserve so much better. 

So, defeat this Republican bill and bring the three-year extension, the bipartisan extension, to the floor now.