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GENTLEMAN FROM MARYLAND, MR.
CUMMINGS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM MARYLAND IS
RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.
MR. CUMMINGS: THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, MR. SPEAKER.
I THANK THE DISTINGUISHED
GENTLEMAN FROM NEW JERSEY FOR
YIELDING.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE TWO VERY, VERY
SIMPLE POINTS.
FIRST, THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
IS WORKING.
HELLO?
IT IS WORKING.
IT WENT INTO FULL EFFECT, IF
YOU DIDN'T KNOW, ON JANUARY 1,
AND NOW MILLIONS, MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE ARE GETTING HEALTH
INSURANCE THEY DID NOT HAVE
BEFORE.
IMAGINE WHAT THIS MEANS TO
FAMILIES.
NOT ONLY ARE THEY RECEIVING
CRITICAL MEDICAL CARE, BUT THEY
HAVE THE SECURITY OF KNOWING
THEY WILL NOT GO BANKRUPT IF
THEY GET INTO AN ACCIDENT OR
THEY GET SICK.
THAT'S MAJOR.
THE LAW PUT IN PLACE KEY
PROTECTIONS FOR CONSUMERS.
INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE NOW
PROHIBITED FROM DISCRIMINATING
AGAINST PEOPLE WITH CANCER,
DIABETES, OR OTHER PRE-EXISTING
CONDITIONS.
AND SOME YOUNG PEOPLE IN MY
DISTRICT SAID, WELL,
CONGRESSMAN, I'M NOT WORRIED
ABOUT PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS.
I TOLD THEM YOU KEEP ON LIVING.
THEY MAY NOT CHARGE HIGH PRICES
FOR WOMEN.
AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE NOW
ECEIVING FREE PREVENTIVE CARE.
THERE ARE ALSO HUGE FINANCIAL
BENEFITS.
HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE
SENDING REBATE CHECKS TO
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
SINCE THE LAW WAS PASSED WE
HAVE SEEN THE LOWEST GROWTH IN
HEALTH CARE COSTS IN 50 YEARS.
IF WE REPEAL THE LAW TODAY, IT
WOULD INCREASE OUR DEFICIT BY
MORE THAN $1.5 TRILLION.
DESPITE ALL OF THESE RESULTS,
REPUBLICANS ARE STILL OBSESSED
WITH KILLING THE LAW.
SINCE THEY DO NOT DO IT
LEGISLATIVELY, THEY HAVE
SHIFTED TO A DIFFERENT TACTIC.
SCARING PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE
WEBSITE.
SO MY SECOND POINT IS THIS.
THERE HAVE BEEN NO SUCCESSFUL
OF ITY BREACHES
HEALTHCARE.GOV.
LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN, THERE
HAVE BEEN NO SUCCESSFUL
SECURITY BREACHES OF
HEALTHCARE.GOV.
NOBODY'S PERSONAL INFORMATION
HAS BEEN HACKED.
ALL WEEK REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN
TRYING TO MAKE THEIR CASE FOR
THIS BILL BY QUOTE INTERESTING
A MEMO DRAFTED BY THE CHIEF
INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER AT
C.M.S. ABOUT CONCERNS BEFORE
THE WEBSITE WAS LAUNCHED.
BUT THEY OMIT ONE CRITICAL
FACT.
THIS OFFICIAL NEVER SENT THE
MEMO.
IT WAS A DRAFT.
AND SHE NEVER GAVE IT TO
ANYONE, INCLUDING HER OWN
SUPERVISOR.
HOW DO WE KNOW THIS?
BECAUSE SHE WAS INTERVIEWED BY
THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, BOTH
REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC
STAFF, WEEKS AGO -- ONE MORE
MINUTE?
MR. PALLONE: I YIELD AN
ADDITIONAL MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. CUMMINGS: AND SHE TOLD US
THIS HERSELF.
HER DRAFT MEMO DID NOT TAKE
INTO ACCOUNT MITIGATION
STRATEGIES PUT IN PLACE DAYS
THAT FOLLOW.
IMPORTANTLY, SHE ALSO TOLD THE
COMMITTEE SHE IS SATISFIED WITH
THE SECURITY TESTING BEING
CONDUCTED.
WHEN ASKED TO DESCRIBE THE
SECURITY MEASURES NOW IN PLACE,
SHE CALLED THEM, AND I QUOTE,
AND I QUOTE, BEST PRACTICES
ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT IS
USUALLY RECOMMENDED, END OF
QUOTE.
THESE ARE IMPORTANT FACTS FOR
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO KNOW.
BUT THE REPUBLICANS DISREGARD
THEM AND OMIT THEM BECAUSE THEY
WANT TO UNDERMINE THE CLAIMS.
MANY OF US WOULD SUPPORT
EFFORTS TO THREATEN
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ENTIRE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE
SECTOR TO NOTIFY CONSUMERS OF
BREACHES, BUT TODAY'S BILL DOES
NOT DO THAT.
TODAY'S BILL IS THE LATEST
ATTEMPT TO ATTACK THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT AND DEPRIVE
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS OF HEALTH
CARE THEY DESERVE.
WITH THAT, MR. SPEAKER, I YIELD
BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
