Pallone Celebrates 14th Anniversary of Affordable Care Act, Vows to Fight Republican Efforts to Take Away Health Care

Long Branch, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today celebrated the 14^th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and vowed to fight Republican attempts to repeal the landmark legislation. President Obama signed the ACA into law on March 23, 2010. A record 21.4 million Americans enrolled in quality health care under the Affordable Care Act in 2023, including 397,000 New Jerseyans.

“Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more Americans than ever have access to quality, affordable health care, and millions of families have seen the cost of their monthly insurance premiums go down. In fact, four in five consumers nationwide can find health care coverage for $10 or less per month thanks to enhanced subsidies that Democrats passed as part of the American Rescue Plan and then extended through the Inflation Reduction Act,” said Pallone. “Despite the progress we have made, extreme right-wing Republicans are still plotting to repeal the ACA. However, make no mistake – I will stand side-by-side with Democrats in the fight to ensure the ACA is here to stay. Democrats are unified in opposing Republicans’ extreme health care agenda and are focused on fighting to further lower health care and prescription drug costs for the American people.”

Since the ACA became law, Republicans have repeatedly attempted to repeal it. In 2016, Republicans passed the so-called Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015, which President Obama vetoed. In 2017, President Trump led an effort to repeal the ACA, which passed the House but was ultimately defeated in the Senate. Currently, leading Republicans, including President Trump, are once again calling to repeal the Affordable Care Act. If enacted, Republican proposals would strip coverage away from millions of Americans, once again allow discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions, and even eliminate Medicaid coverage for children and families.

As the Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee in 2010, Pallone played a key role in authoring and passing the ACA.