WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, released the following statement on Monday after the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released their projected cost and reach of Republicans’ misguided Trumpcare. The CBO report made clear that under Trumpcare, 24 million fewer people would be insured by 2026 and average premiums would increase by 15-20% for single policyholders in the individual market.

“We now know that Washington Republicans’ plan will destroy America’s health care system to pay for huge tax breaks for people who are already rich,” said Murphy. “You will get worse coverage even though you’ll be paying thousands more a year. And 24 million Americans will have the insurance they count on ripped away from them – either because of a pre-existing health issue or because they can’t afford the huge bills coming their way. Passing this bill would be a huge mistake.”

Murphy continued, “I’m sure we’ll see some of my Republican colleagues beating up on the CBO, so let’s get some things straight. Keith Hall, the agency’s director, was hand-picked for this role by Congressional Republicans, led by now-Secretary Tom Price, precisely because they trusted him to keep politics out of his estimates. Rather than criticize Mr. Hall and his employees for doing the job they were hired to do, I hope my Republican colleagues use that energy working with Democrats to write a new health care bill that builds on the Affordable Care Act and lowers costs for families.”

Last week, Murphy blasted Congressional Republicans’ dangerous attempt to quickly force Trumpcare through Congress without sufficient hearings, amendments, or debate. Murphy has repeatedly called on Congressional Republicans to stop their crusade to repeal the ACA and to work in a bipartisan way to improve the law.

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