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A26 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 25 June 2020

With a jab at Trump, Pelosi unveils new ‘Obamacare’ bill

By RICARDO ALONSO- own this lawsuit's attack on
ZALDIVAR Americans' health care,"
Associated Press said the memo. "They will
WASHINGTON (AP) — Flick- be held responsible for their
ing a dismissive jab at Presi- party-wide obsession with
dent Donald Trump, House throwing our health care
Speaker Nancy Pelosi un- system into chaos and strip-
veiled a plan Wednesday ping health care from 20
to expand "Obamacare," million Americans during a
even as Trump's adminis- global pandemic."
tration is about to file argu- Obama's law has grown
ments in a Supreme Court more popular since Trump's
case to strike it down. unsuccessful effort to re-
Pelosi announced an up- peal it in 2017, when Re-
coming floor vote on her publicans controlled both
measure, setting up a de- the House and Senate. In
bate that will juxtapose the May, a poll from the non-
Democrats' top policy is- partisan Kaiser Family Foun-
sue, Trump's unrelenting ef- dation found that 51% of
forts to dismantle Obama's Americans view "Obam-
legacy, and the untamed acare" favorably while 41%
coronavirus pandemic. have unfavorable views.
On Thursday, the Trump An earlier Kaiser poll found
administration is expected House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks during news conference unveiling the Patient also found that nearly 6
to file papers with the Su- Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday, in 10 are worried they or
June 24, 2020.
preme Court arguing that Associated Press someone in their fam-
the Affordable Care Act ily will lose coverage if the
is unconstitutional. Pelosi the virus can rely on the dies, allowing more people Democrats say will under- Supreme Court overturns
wants her bill on the House health law as a backup. to qualify for coverage un- mine a central achieve- either the entire law or its
floor Monday. The White House said Pelosi der the ACA. It would finan- ment of the ACA. protections for people with
Trying to overturn a health is just playing politics. "In- cially squeeze some states Democrats won control of preexisting medical condi-
insurance expansion pro- stead of diving back into that have refused to ex- the House in 2018 on their tions.
viding coverage to about partisan games, Democrats pand Medicaid under the defense of the health care In the case before the
20 million people "was should continue to work health law. And it would law. Since then, that cham- court, Texas and other con-
wrong any time," Pelosi with the president on these empower Medicare to ne- ber has voted on most of servative-led states argue
said. important issues and ensur- gotiate prescription drug the measures in Pelosi's plan that the ACA was essential-
"Now, it is beyond stupid," ing our country emerges prices — a position Trump in one form or another. ly rendered unconstitution-
she added. "Beyond stu- from this pandemic stron- once favored but later But, as underscored in a al after Congress passed
pid." ger than ever," spokesman abandoned. memo last month led by tax legislation in 2017 that
COVID-19 cases are rising in Judd Deere said Wednes- It would also undo the Democratic Congressio- eliminated the law's un-
major states like Texas, Flor- day in a statement. Trump administration's ex- nal Campaign Committee popular fines for not having
ida and California, and mil- Pelosi's legislation has no pansion of short-term insur- Chair Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., the health insurance, but left in
lions of workers who have chance in the Republican- ance plans that don't have broader goal is to make place its requirement that
lost coverage in the eco- controlled Senate. to cover preexisting medi- Republicans squirm. virtually all Americans have
nomic shutdown to contain Her bill would expand subsi- cal conditions, something "Republicans at all levels coverage. q

Travelers to NY, New Jersey, Connecticut are told to isolate

sure the rates continue to ing to keep history from re- in Hartford, noting it will
drop," New York Gov. An- peating itself. be enforced differently in
drew Cuomo said Wednes- "This is a smart thing to do," each state. Connecticut
day at a video briefing with Murphy said. is considering putting up
Govs. Phil Murphy of New "We have taken our peo- signs at entry points and
Jersey and Ned Lamont ple, the three of us ... to hell getting the word out via so-
of Connecticut, both fel- and back. The last thing cial media.
low Democrats. "We also we need to do right now is The announcement comes
have to make sure the virus subject our folks to another as summer travel to the
doesn't come on a plane round." states' beaches, parks and
again." The states' health depart- other attractions — not to
What was presented as ments will provide details mention New York City —
a "travel advisory" affects of how the rule will work, would normally swing into
three adjacent North- Murphy said. Visitors to New high gear.
eastern states that after York from affected states Visitors from states over a
In this Thursday, March 19, 2020, file photo, a pedestrian walks time were able to check will be informed that they set infection rate will have
past a storefront for rent on Madison Avenue, in New York. the spread of the virus this need to quarantine and to quarantine, Cuomo said.
Associated Press spring as New York City that violators could face As of Wednesday, states
NEW YORK (AP) — New to quarantine for 14 days became a hot spot for the a mandatory quarantine over the threshold were
York, Connecticut and upon arrival, beginning pandemic. and a fine, Cuomo said. Alabama, Arkansas, Arizo-
New Jersey will require visi- Thursday, the three gover- And the governors are now The quarantine is volun- na, Florida, North Carolina,
tors from states with high nors said. warily eying other states tary but "urgent guidance," South Carolina, Washing-
coronavirus infection rates "We now have to make with rising caseloads, try- Lamont said at a briefing ton, Utah and Texas.q