U.S. Representative Kim Schrier delivers first floor speech, addressing access to healthcare

U.S. Representative Kim Schrier, the only woman doctor in Congress, has delivered her first speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, concerning the future of the Patient Protection Act, also known as the ACA. Watch it above.

Transcript:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m honored to deliver my first floor speech today, speaking about an issue that is deeply personal to me, to the patients I care for as a pediatrician, and to thousands of my constituents in Washington’s 8th District.

As you know, the lawful nature of the ACA has been challenged, and if the decision stands, seventeen million Americans will lose their health insurance. This includes many of my patients, children, and people with pre-existing conditions.

Having seen families struggle to pay ever higher insurance premiums and deductibles each year, I understand that we need improvements in our system. The answer is to shore up the ACA, not dismantle it. As the lone woman doctor in Congress, and as a patient with Type 1 Diabetes, I look forward to leading the conversation.

The first step is to preserve the protections that we have now. This is why I am so pleased that the House will take steps to intervene in this court case. I ask my colleagues to consider the fates of their constituents who might not have access to care without the ACA, and to support this intervention. Millions of Americans and thousands in my district are counting on us.