In a press statement today, New Jersey Citizen Action’s Healthcare Program Director, Laura Waddell, said:

The House vote to advance a three-year extension of the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits was a necessary step to protect affordable healthcare for millions of families. This vote only succeeded because a handful of Republicans joined all Democrats - proof that action was possible all along. We thank the members of New Jersey’s delegation who voted to put their constituents first, and we welcome Rep. Tom Kean Jr.’s decision to break with Republican leadership and help move this bill forward.

We haven’t forgotten though that Congressman Kean voted this past summer to terminate coverage for 15 million people by cutting $1 trillion from healthcare to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. This vote is the least he could do now. Kean should support H.R. 4849, a bill to reverse ALL of the health cuts.

This vote was the bare minimum the Republican Members of Congress could do to address affordability, and most Republicans couldn’t even do that including NJ Representatives Jeff Van Drew and Chris Smith. They once again decided to ignore the health and financial well-being of their constituents who desperately need access to affordable healthcare coverage. By voting against restoring enhanced ACA tax credits, they failed to meet even the bare minimum needed to address the healthcare crisis.

Republicans’ failure to extend these tax credits last year has already caused serious harm. Premiums have skyrocketed for more than 22 million people nationwide, including nearly 500,000 in New Jersey, and one in four ACA enrollees say they have already dropped or plan to drop their coverage because they simply can’t afford it.

However, it is still possible to right this wrong. We urge the U.S. Senate to immediately pass a three-year extension of the ACA premium tax credits without harmful conditions that would raise costs, limit women’s access to life-saving reproductive care, end zero-premium plans, or push low-income people off coverage. New Jersey families cannot afford more delays, excuses, or political games with their healthcare.”