H.R. 498 – Do No Harm in Medicaid Act; H.R. 3492 – Protect Children's Innocence Act; H.R. 6703 – Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act
2025-12-16
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Source: Congress.gov
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Good afternoon. The committee will come to order. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare recess at any time. Today, the Rules Committee is convening to consider three measures, H.R. 6703, H.R. 498, and H.R. 3492. H.R. 6703, the Lower Healthcare Premiums for All Americans Act, would lower healthcare premiums increase health care access, expand choice in health care and bring about greater transparency to the health care system in the United States. The Unaffordable Care Act decimated America's health care system and made lofty promises to the American people that were never fulfilled, not by a long shot. Premiums have been skyrocketing for years. The entire system has been rotting from the inside out, and the American people have been left with preset options that are as inefficient as they are unaffordable. This legislation mandates overdue transparency from pharmacy benefit managers to employers, provides necessary funding for cost sharing reduction payments, and improves options for American workers through association health plans, preserving the integrity of self-insurance and choice arrangements. As we've always done, Republicans are offering an alternative to the broken health care system that Democrats created and have been propping up for over a decade. Unlike those who manufactured the Unaffordable Care Act, Republicans are offering a clear, responsible and straightforward solution so that all Americans have access to health care that is affordable and meets their needs.
It's time that we restore integrity, functionality and choice to our health care system. H.R. 498, the Do No Harm in Medicaid Act, would prohibit federal funds allocated to Medicaid from being used for so-called gender transition procedures for minors. Specifically, this legislation amends the Social Security Act to include so-called gender transition procedures for minors as a prohibited service under Medicaid. At the same time, this legislation institutes the safeguarding of funding used for medically necessary treatments for genetic disorders, life threatening illnesses and other conditions. The federal government should always serve as a good steward of taxpayer dollars. The American people demand this. H.R. 498 offers another layer of accountability that can take another positive step forward in meeting that imperative. Finally, we turn to H.R. 3492, the Protect Children's Innocent Act. that would charge anyone who knowingly performs, quote, gender affirming care, end quote, specifically the genital mutilation and chemical castration of children with a Class C felony. The irreversible decisions of, quote, gender affirming care, end quote, are dangerous
and they present a clear threat to children who remain vulnerable at such young ages. Children deserve to have long-term health and happiness and should not have to endure the consequences of unsound procedures that will scar them permanently. This legislation and the president's actions send a clear message the federal government will no longer tolerate the abuse and exploitation of children by the radical gender ideology of the left. I look forward to today's discussion and hearing from our witnesses on the three pieces of legislation before us today. With that, I now yield to the ranking member, Mr. McGovern, for any comments he wishes to make.
Oh, my goodness, Madam Chair. Here we are at the end of the year, and this is likely the last Rules Committee meeting of this session. And Republicans are doing absolutely nothing to avert a health care catastrophe that is going to devastate millions of people across America. I'm not shocked. Frankly, I'm not even surprised. I've come to expect nothing from this Republican majority. And that is exactly what this Republican majority has done for America. Nothing. Are you guys going to even pretend to care that people's premiums are about to double, triple and quadruple? I mean, one of your own members, a Republican member, just called this exercise here political malpractice. He's right. You should listen to him.
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