Newark--December 17-- New Jersey Citizen Action Director of Policy and Advocacy Maura Collinsgru released the following statement today in response to Republican Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick, Robert Bresnahan, Ryan Mackenzie, and Mike Lawler signing Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' discharge petition, forcing a vote to extend Affordable Care Act tax subsidies.
"We thank these GOP Representatives for putting country over party, and taking an important first step to address the catastrophic, nationwide healthcare crisis their party created. We call on our own New Jersey GOP Representatives Tom Kean Jr., Jeff Van Drew, and Chris Smith, who could have joined the petition weeks before, to do the right thing and vote to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies. They must also persuade their GOP Senate colleagues and President Trump to ensure this extension passes into law.
"Not extending the subsidies will force millions off health insurance and send healthcare costs skyrocketing for millions more. Those suffering will include many not even on ACA plans as healthcare markets continue to react to the shock of this unfolding disaster. This is the last thing Americans and New Jerseyans already struggling with an affordability crisis need to face. Kean, Van Drew and Smith have a chance to start to fix the mess they created; New Jersey voters will be watching them."