Shaheen, Warner & Senate Democrats Unveil Resolution To Save Pre-Existing Condition Protections From Harmful Trump Administration Rule Pushing Junk Plans

**Senate Democrats Unveil Resolution To Undo Trump Administration 1332 Waiver Rule, Which Would Erode Pre-Existing Condition Protections For Millions Of Americans And Allow Premium Tax Credits to be Used for Junk Plans that Do Not Provide Comprehensive Coverage** 

**Under The Congressional Review Act, Senate Democrats Can Force A Majority-Threshold Vote On This New Resolution Within 60 Legislative Days of July 15**

**Senate And House Democrats To Trump Administration: Stop Your Health Care Sabotage, Stop Your Attacks On Americans With Pre-Existing Conditions**

(Washington, DC) — Yesterday, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Mark Warner (D-VA) led Senate Democrats in unveiling a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would roll back the 1332 waiver rule, another Trump administration effort to sabotage Americans’ health care and another attack on the 130 million Americans who rely on the critical pre-existing condition protections the administration is trying to eliminate. The rule, if left in place, would allow states to greenlight substandard, junk insurance plans that don’t fully protect people with pre-existing conditions, don’t cover essential health benefits like prescription drugs and maternity coverage, and raise costs on many American families. Under the Congressional Review Act, this resolution must be considered within 60 legislative days of July 15 and can pass the Senate with the support of a simple majority of Senators. Representative Annie Kuster (NH-02) led the companion resolution in the House of Representatives.  

“The Trump administration has already destabilized the insurance markets by supporting litigation to strike down the Affordable Care Act in its entirety, putting insurance coverage for 90,000 Granite Staters and 20 million Americans at risk. On top of that, this administration has put forward waiver rules to continue to sabotage the ACA and further drive up health care costs for millions of Americans. But we’re not going to stand by without a fight,” said Senator Jeanne Shaheen. “Today we’re introducing this Congressional Review Act resolution to block the Trump administration from sabotaging the ACA through these state waivers.  We know that these waivers could substantially increase costs for comprehensive coverage and leave many people with pre-existing conditions with no affordable options. We cannot let that happen.  I’ll stand ready with Senator Warner and my colleagues to defend the insurance protections that patients across this country rely upon.”

All 47 Senate members of the Senate Democratic caucus cosponsored the resolution:  Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), Senator Tom Udall (D-NM), Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Senator Angus King (I-ME), Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), Senator Doug Jones (D-AL), Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), and Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV).

The following organizations support the resolution: National Multiple Sclerosis Society, American Heart Association, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Pulmonary Hypertension Association, Mended Little Hearts, Hemophilia Federation of America, Chronic Disease Coalition, American Diabetes Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, National Organization for Rare Disorders, WomenHeart: the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, Susan G. Komen, Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, COPD Foundation, Muscular Dystrophy Association, National Hemophilia Foundation, Arthritis Foundation, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, National Psoriasis Foundation, Alpha-1 Foundation, ALS Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Immune Deficiency Foundation, March of Dimes, American Liver Foundation, National Health Council, National Patient Advocate Foundation, Protect Our Care, and the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.

Shaheen has led efforts in the Senate against the Trump administration’s push to expand junk insurance plans. Shaheen has cosponsored and introduced the No Junk Plans Act and the Protecting Americans with Pre-existing Conditions Act, legislation that would overturn President Trump’s expansion of junk health insurance plans that do not have to provide health care coverage for Granite Staters and Americans with pre-existing conditions. Last year, Shaheen voted to overturn the Trump administration’s expansion of junk plans. In April, Shaheen also led all 47 Senate Democrats on a Senate resolution that would reverse the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) recent decision to side with U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Connor’s ruling that deems health care protections enjoyed by millions of Americans unconstitutional.