Cuomo, Collins react to pulled health care vote in Washington

With too few votes in the House of Representatives for a new health care law, House Speaker Paul Ryan pulled the legislation for a vote this afternoon.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo fiercely opposed the plan this week. He issued this statement:

“This week, Washington showed the people of this nation a disgusting display of government at its worst.

“We saw Members of Congress openly bribe one-another at the expense of their own constituents, racing each other to decimate New York’s healthcare system while attempting to ram through a piece of legislation that would jeopardize the healthcare of 24 million people and supported by only 17 percent of Americans.

“Some Republican Members of Congress apparently forgot who put them there in the first place. So let me remind them: you are elected to fight for your constituents – not hurt them. For the first time in my life, I witnessed New York elected officials pound their chest proudly while cutting nearly $7 billion in funding for the people they serve, tripping over themselves to cut taxes for millionaires while simultaneously cutting healthcare services for seniors, women, and the disabled and killing jobs across the state.

“This bill appears to be on life support for now – it should be killed once and for all.

“Republicans leadership may have counted on the complexity of the issue to confuse the debate, but at the end of the day it’s actually quite simple. This Congress tried to play the people of this nation for a fool – they were wrong, and they lost.”

Congressman Chris Collins, R-Clarence, supported the proposed American Health Care Act. He issued this statement:

“I am extremely disappointed with today’s result. This bill, while not perfect, was a solution that would have ended the Obamacare nightmare that Western New Yorkers have had to endure for too long. By increasing competition and giving people the power to make their own choices with their own health care, the American Health Care Act would have been a drastic improvement over the healthcare system Obamacare has left us with.

“Despite today’s result, this process has provided the opportunity to push for reforms vital to Western New York, specifically my amendment to force Albany to end its unfunded mandate on New York’s counties once and for all. I will continue advocating for that critical measure going forward and will remain resolute in my commitment to the taxpayers in my district.”