Brooklyn, N.Y. – Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke released the following statement in recognition of the fourth anniversary of the Affordable Care Act:

“On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, fulfilling his promise to expand access to comprehensive medical care to millions of Americans who could not previous afford health insurance. In only four years, the Affordable Care Act has fulfilled its promise to expand access to quality, affordable health insurance for Americans.  The reforms initiated under that law have improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in the State of New York.”

“In addition to providing millions of uninsured Americans access to affordable health insurance – in New York State, for example, nearly two million uninsured people finally have choices in health care – the law also protects Americans who already had insurance, offering security in their medical coverage, eliminating the worst abuses of insurance companies and providing important protections for consumers. With Affordable Care Act, Americans cannot be denied coverage for a pre-existing condition, women cannot be charged a higher premium for being women, co-payments for primary care services have been eliminated, and children are eligible to obtain health care under their family’s policy until the twenty-six years-of-age.”

“Yet there remains some resistance from my colleagues in the House of Representatives, who have held fifty-one votes on repealing the Affordable Care Act, instead of collaborating with the Democrats to improve the law.  Repealing this law would allow discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, charge higher premiums to women, and eliminate discounts on prescription drugs to seniors.  The time for repeal has ended – let us work with each other to provide affordable health care for every American.”

U.S. Representative Yvette D. Clarke is a member of the House Committee on Small Business, Ethics, and Homeland Security, where she is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies. She represents many neighborhoods in central and southern Brooklyn, NY which include Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Gerritsen Beach, Madison, Midwood, parts of Park Slope and Flatlands, Prospect Heights, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Sheepshead Bay, and Windsor Terrace.