SCHNEIDER OPPOSES PARTISAN SPENDING BILL THAT FAILS TO KEEP HEALTHCARE COSTS FROM SKYROCKETING

WASHINGTON - Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10), a member of the House Ways and Means and Foreign Affairs Committees, released the following statement on government spending legislation under debate in the United States Senate:

"Forty-eight days ago, I voted 'No' on giving President Trump unconstrained power to continue raising the cost of living for and ripping healthcare away from millions of hard-working Americans and their families.

"My position has not changed. I will, as I always have, support a bipartisan government spending bill that reflects good faith negotiations between Republicans and Democrats. I will not, however, support a hyper-partisan bill that continues to cut investments in infrastructure, cuts funding for rural broadband, cuts programs helping small businesses, and knowingly forces people to pay double or triple their current healthcare premiums, forcing millions of people, including children, off their insurance altogether. Supporting such cynical and harmful policy would be a dereliction of duty.

"That's why I introduced legislation this week to responsibly extend ACA premium tax credits and prevent this entirely avoidable, Republican-manufactured healthcare crisis. With my Republican colleagues finally returning from their seven-week paid vacation, it's now time for them to join Democrats and negotiate in good faith to reach a commonsense compromise that keeps healthcare affordable and funds our government responsibly for the year.

"If House Republicans still choose to refuse to work across the aisle, that is their prerogative. But, let me be very clear: the consequences are on them. They will be responsible for kicking more than four million people off their health insurance and driving up the cost of living for us all."

###