VOTES IN THE HOUSE
H.R. 987
Democratic repair of Affordable Care Act
Voting 234 for and 183 against, the House on Thursday passed a bill that would bolster sections of the Affordable Care Act the Trump administration has allowed to deteriorate while pursuing dismantlement and repeal of the law. In an effort to reduce prescription drug costs, the measure also would change laws and regulations to expand and accelerate the marketing of generic versions of brand-name drugs. Reversing a presidential order, the bill would restore the 2010 health law’s original three-month limit on short-term health insurance plans that do not meet core coverage requirements, including protections for people with preexisting conditions. The bill would also authorize spending $100 million annually over 10 years on advertising campaigns and “navigator” programs to boost ACA enrollment. And it would recommend a $200 million outlay to establish insurance exchanges in states that now send residents to the federal exchange to buy ACA coverage. Enrollment in federal and state ACA exchanges, or marketplaces, peaked at 12.7 million in the last year of the Obama administration, and has declined by 930,000 enrollees, or 7.3 percent, during the Trump administration, according to the Government Accountability Office. Unofficial tallies show that in 2018 about 25 million individuals received coverage in ACA exchanges or as a result of the law’s expanded Medicaid eligibility, while 2.6 million young adults were covered by their parents’ health plan under terms of the law. A “yes” vote was to send the bill to the Senate.
Yes: Fitzpatrick, Dean, Houlahan, Wild
No: Meuser
H.R. 987
Cancer research v. health-law enrollment Voting 188 for and 228 against, the House on Thursday defeated a Republican motion to H.R. 987 to shift millions of dollars from Affordable Care Act enrollment accounts to National Institutes of Health research into childhood cancer. The measure targeted the ACAs navigator program, in which the government hires outside groups to help individuals and small businesses sign up for medical insurance in ACA marketplaces. The Trump administration has cut the navigator budget by about 90 percent while presiding over a 7.3 percent decline since 2016 in enrollment in the ACAs state and federal marketplaces. A “yes” vote was to adopt the motion.
Yes: Fitzpatrick, Meuser
No: Dean, Houlahan, Wild
H.R. 5
Expanded protection against sex-based bias Voting 236 for and 173 against, the House on Friday passed a bill that would expand the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Fair Housing Act of 1968 to protect LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) individuals against discrimination based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. The proposed Equality Act also would expand the Civil Rights Acts listing of public accommodations to include retail stores, banks and transportation and healthcare services, and it would designate sexual characteristics as a protected class in public accommodations. In addition, the bill would prohibit the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1994 from being invoked to sanction discrimination against the LGBT community. A “yes” vote was to send the bill to the Senate.
Yes: Fitzpatrick, Dean, Houlahan, Wild
No: Meuser
H.R. 5
Title IX protections for girls and women
The House defeated, 181 for and 228 against ,a Republican motion that sought to void HR 5 (above) if it were to undercut protections conferred by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The title ensures women and girls the same access as men and boys to federally funded education programs, including sports activities, in schooling through the collegiate level. A “yes” vote was to adopt the motion.
Yes: Fitzpatrick, Dean, Houlahan, Wild
No: Meuser