ICYMI: On The Source with Kaitlan Collins, Kelly Urges Republicans to Protect Americans’ Health Care and Open the Government

"When folks lose their health insurance, people die, and this is easily fixed if Republicans would just come and talk to us about it."

In case you missed it, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly joined CNN's The Source with Kaitlan Collins last night to urge Republicans and President Trump to come to the table and stop health care premiums from spiking for millions of Americans. Kelly made clear that the shutdown can end quickly if Republicans agree to protect Affordable Care Act tax credits, which are set to expire, driving costs up dramatically for families across the country.

Watch the full interview here. See key excerpts below:

On what's at stake for American families if Republicans keep refusing to negotiate…

"The cost for health care for the American people is going to go up dramatically starting January 1^st […]. In my state, at least 55% for some people it's going to double the cost. In Alaska, there are folks receiving letters where their premiums are going to go from $600 a month to $4,000 a month. That is unaffordable for the American people."

On the impact of health care premiums going up for Arizonans…

"The expectation in the state of Arizona is 109,000 people will lose their health insurance because they're not going to be able to afford it. And then what that means is those families are one accident or one illness away from bankruptcy. And when folks lose their health insurance, people die."

On Donald Trump and Republicans prioritizing billionaires over Americans…

"The reason these premiums have gone up, or are going up, is because Donald Trump and Senate and House Republicans wanted to give a big tax cut for the richest Americans and this is the way they're planning on paying for it."

On how easy it is to end the shutdown…
"We could figure this out in less than a week. We could open the government back up, we can give people relief on these premiums, so they don't skyrocket, and people lose their insurance. It's pretty straightforward, and I think they [Republicans] know what they should do."