[Page H301]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    PROTECTING AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE

  (Ms. UNDERWOOD asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, the people of the Illinois 14th elected 
me as their Representative to protect their access to healthcare 
coverage and to make healthcare and prescription drugs more affordable.
  I am a nurse, and I have a preexisting condition and so I know, 
personally, how critically important having high-quality affordable 
healthcare is for people.
  Today, we are taking an essential step to protect access to 
affordable coverage from the GOP's cruel lawsuit which seeks to destroy 
the Affordable Care Act and its lifesaving protection.
  My community sent me here to use my voice and my vote as their 
neighbor and as a nurse, and I am proud to vote today to protect people 
with preexisting conditions; to prohibit insurance companies from 
imposing lifetime and annual limits on health coverage; and to preserve 
young adults' ability to remain on their parents' insurance until age 
26, and more.
  I commend my colleague, Mr. Allred, and am proud to join my 
Democratic colleagues in wasting no time delivering on our promise to 
defeat Republican attacks on the Affordable Care Act, and to fight for 
the people, and to protect Americans with preexisting conditions.

                          ____________________