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Hoffa: Reject Senate Health Care Bill
(WASHINGTON) – In a letter sent to Capitol Hill today, Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa called on the Senate to oppose the “Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017” if brought to a vote. Hoffa called the legislation “flawed” and predicted that, if passed, will cost tens of millions of Americans to lose health insurance over the next decade.
The “Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017” does nothing to reduce the cost of health care and would enact significant tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. By maintaining the 40 percent excise tax, rather than repealing it, the legislation continues to shift costs to already burdened working families. In fact, in its score of the bill, the Congressional Budget Office projected there would be 22 million fewer Americans with health care if this was made into law.
“It is unconscionable that our members will have to suffer this 40 percent penalty on their collectively bargained benefits while the wealthy and corporations see their taxes repealed,” Hoffa wrote. “The Senate should be looking for ways to strengthen the middle class instead of promoting policies that will ultimately take money from their hard-earned paychecks and reduce, and make more costly, the health benefits they receive.”
Hoffa also denounced the bill for weakening protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions and the increasing the premiums for older adults.
“Like its House counterpart, the so-called ‘Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017’ is fatally flawed,” Hoffa wrote. “Accordingly, I call on you to stand with American workers and their families and reject this legislation.”
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.