Dear Friend,

As Senate Republicans’ latest efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act crumbled, I carried on the fight to protect our care while also tackling other important priorities for our community.

After failing to to secure a majority of votes, Senate Republicans pulled the fourth version of Trumpcare in as many months from consideration -- opting instead to plan a vote on repealing the ACA outright, with no sign of what would replace it. This move would be even more dangerous, resulting in 32 million people losing coverage, considerably higher than the four iterations of Trumpcare. I continue to call on my colleagues to reject this dangerous plan and instead work with Democrats to mend it, not end it. 

Holding hearings should be a start. In the first six months of debate, Democrats held 36 hearings on the Affordable Care Act while the Republicans have only held five. With so much at stake, why are they leaving Americans in the dark? Since the Senate is adjusting its timeline for action on the bill, there's time to examine any proposal closely and see if it really addresses the country's health care needs. 

On Thursday, I led my colleagues in the Congressional Pro Choice Caucus, where I serve as co-chair, in condemning the anti-choice, anti-woman provisions attacking women’s health and reproductive rights that were included in Fiscal Year 2018 spending bills. The House appropriations package is riddled with a shocking number of awful riders that go far beyond anything seen in previous proposals. But this is only one line of attack. Virtually every week, women across the country are waking up to news that their rights and access to care are being stripped away by politicians at the state and federal levels. This has to stop. We will not tolerate any more anti-woman policies in government funding bills. The women (and men) of America are fed up, and we are standing by them to defend their rights. 

I joined more than 70 members of Congress on Tuesday in urging President Trump’s purported voter fraud commission to withdraw its request for voter registration data. This effort to collect Americans’ personal information is based on the unsubstantiated claim that millions of people voted illegally in the 2016 election. The commission’s work as proposed is nothing more than a sham investigation that puts voters’ personal information in danger. What’s more, the commission has already caused a chilling effect: reports show that more than 3,000 people in Colorado canceled their voter registrations after the request for information. Maintaining the integrity of our elections is a critical priority, but this effort is just a ruse. We should be working to encourage voter participation instead of discouraging it. I commend the 40 states that have rejected this effort and will continue working to protect voters’ privacy.

At a hearing of the Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee of which I’m Ranking Member, I spoke about the need for stronger oversight of and support for the 340B discount program for prescription drugs. Congress created this program 25 years ago to help safety net providers, such as St. Joseph's Hospital in Denver, leverage scarce resources to serve more people, especially low-income and vulnerable patients. Troubling oversight reports have found there is a need for more oversight to ensure that the program achieves its critical mission. However, I am even more concerned by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid’s recently proposed rule dramatically reducing Medicare Part B drug reimbursements for 340B hospitals. I want to work with this committee to fairly address the 340B program’s problems, but using hearings to attack it won’t solve the crisis of rising prescription drug costs. To achieve this goal, Congress must hold more hearings and consider legislation that will tackle the issue head-on – and we must strengthen resources such as 340B, not gut them.

Ending on an uplifting note: I was honored to meet the courageous members of the Afghan Girls' Robotics Team, who were twice denied entry to the United States, but wound up winning a silver medal at the International Robotics Contest here in DC. Our country must keep it doors open to inspiring people such as these bright young women, not close them.

As always, you can visit my website where you can read my positions on issues and learn about the different ways my staff can assist you. While you’re there, be sure to visit the “Contact” page and send me an email about what matters most to you and your family. Finally, be sure to share this email with your friends, family, and neighbors so that they too can be a part of this important dialogue.