July 16, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 119 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages H5834-H5835]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HEALTHCARE AFFORDABILITY

  (Ms. UNDERWOOD asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, in my district in northern Illinois, many 
farmers are struggling with the challenges that come from a delayed 
planting season and an uncertain market.
  But, recently, Kaylee Heap invited me to her family's farm to share 
her story about yet another challenge: healthcare costs.
  Kaylee and her husband, Kevin, own a pumpkin farm in Minooka, 
Illinois, and Kaylee dreams of being able to work on the farm to grow 
their business.
  Unfortunately, that is not an option because health insurance is too 
expensive for them to purchase on their own--easily over $20,000 per 
year in my district--so Kaylee works for an outside employer in order 
to afford health insurance for their growing family.
  Having to make the choice between entrepreneurship and healthcare is 
unacceptable, and that is why I introduced the Health Care 
Affordability Act, H.R. 1868, to reduce insurance premiums.
  My bill would reduce premiums by hundreds of thousands of dollars for 
approximately 20 million Americans, 39,000 of whom reside in my 
district.
  A typical Illinois family like Kaylee's would see their premiums cut 
in half, saving over $750 per month--and that is real money.

[[Page H5835]]

  Mr. Chair, Americans shouldn't have to wait for lower healthcare 
costs. We need to pass the Health Care Affordability Act now.

                          ____________________