NEWS FROM CONGRESSMAN ELIOT ENGEL

The Medicare for All Act

  Congressman Eliot Engel, a founding member of the House Medicare for All Caucus, joined more than 100 colleagues today to reintroduce H.R. 1384, The Medicare for All Act, legislation that would provide comprehensive health care to every person in America. Engel has cosponsored every version of this bill since 2004.

Medicare for All would create a universal health care program that enrolls every American at birth. It expands the wildly popular Medicare program, while also adding dental, vision, prescription drugs, women’s reproductive health services, maternity and newborn care, long term services and supports and more. The bill would simplify the health care system, cut administrative costs, improve payment systems to hospitals, and lower the cost of prescription drugs.

“It’s time. In fact, it’s long past time that we finally provided truly universal, comprehensive medical coverage to every American,” Rep. Engel said. “Health care is a human right, not a privilege reserved for a wealthy few. We are the only developed country in the world that still does not guarantee health care to its citizens. We also happen to be the wealthiest. Medicare for All is a moral imperative that must finally be met.

“The legislation we have reintroduced today will lower costs, including on prescription drugs, and ensure everyone gets the care they deserve. I have supported this bill for years, and was proud to help found the Medicare for All Caucus last year. Now, it’s time to take that next big step for the American people. I am hopeful the Medicare for All Act will be considered in the House soon, and I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to step up and join our call to provide health care to every American.”

Engel Statement on House Passage of H.R. 8 the Bipartisan Background Checks Act

  Congressman Eliot Engel, a member of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, issued the following statement after House passage of H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019:

“Today’s passage of H.R. 8 marks a significant shift in how the House does business under new Democratic leadership. After years of obstinance and inaction from Republican leaders, our legislative body has finally passed a major piece of meaningful gun violence prevention legislation to help curtail our nation’s gun violence epidemic. And it is just the start for us.

“It’s nice to be able to move the ball forward on gun safety without having to take over the House floor in protest, as we were forced to do 3 years ago while in the minority. H.R. 8 is a bipartisan, commonsense bill that will require a background check for every gun sale or transfer, with only very explicit exceptions. It’s supported by a wide range of gun safety and law enforcement groups, and has long been championed by the medical and educational communities. More than 90 percent of the American people support background checks, in addition to 90 percent of gun owning households. The only people who don’t want this are the right wing extremists in the NRA, who held a stranglehold on the House by way of their surrogates in the GOP leadership. But Congress doesn’t work for the NRA. We work for the American people, and today House Democrats have made that clear.

“Gun violence has torn our nation apart for far too long. The price American families have paid for Congress’ inaction is immeasurable. We have a moral obligation to act, and H.R. 8 is exactly the type of legislation we needed. I hope we can soon follow suit by passing a new assault weapons ban.”