Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, for millions of Americans, homeownership stands as a source of personal and economic security and is a defining part of the middle class life.

Earlier this month, under President Obama, the Federal Housing Administration announced a plan to make mortgages more affordable for nearly 1 million working and middle class families who are buying their first homes. In his first hours in office, President Trump reversed President Obama's plan with an executive action that will cost Americans an average of $500 more per year to get a mortgage. Experts project that 40,000 families who would have bought homes will no longer be able to do so.

The Trump administration's order to make mortgages more expensive will not strengthen our economy; it will not create jobs; it will not make America great again--but it will make life harder for working families.

Mr. Chairman, I am Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, and I represent the hardworking families of Chicago's west and northwest suburbs.

I rise today in strong opposition to S. Con. Res. 3.

Repealing without replacing the Affordable Care Act at the same time would devastate our economy and harm millions of middle class families.

Within the Eighth District of Illinois alone, we could lose upwards of $550 million from our economy, and over 4,000 jobs.

Before joining Congress, I ran small businesses in the Chicago area in the national security and technology sectors. I know firsthand how important health coverage is to our workers and to our businesses. Without the protections of the ACA, we will see fewer entrepreneurs take the risk of starting a business and fewer workers taking the risk of working for a startup.

Middle class and working families need good-paying jobs and affordable health care. And, unfortunately, the bill before us today would rob them of both.

Mr. Speaker, I am Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi from the great Eighth District of Illinois. I have the honor of representing the hardworking families of Chicago's west and northwest suburbs.

Before I took the oath of office last week, I was the president of small businesses in the Chicago area. As a small-business man, I stand here to say that repealing without replacing the Affordable Care Act would harm our economy and, with it, our working and middle class families.

Across our Nation, repealing without replacing the Affordable Care Act would destroy up to 3 million good-paying jobs and destroy $1.5 trillion in economic activity. Across Illinois, repealing without replacing the ACA would cost upwards of 100,000 jobs; and in the Eighth District alone, repealing without replacing the ACA would cost upwards of 4,000 jobs.

Middle class families need good-paying jobs and affordable health care. Repealing without replacing the ACA would, unfortunately, rob them of both.

Mr. Speaker, I am Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi from the Eighth District of Illinois. I have the honor to represent the hardworking families of Chicago's west and northwest suburbs. My constituents, like so many other Americans, are finding it harder and harder to get ahead.

Creating good-paying jobs is my number one job, and growing and strengthening the middle class is my primary mission. I believe working and middle class families must be able to earn a living wage, have quality health care, and educate their children well.

These challenges are not insurmountable, but we must address them immediately. We need to make sure that working and middle class families can achieve economic security. I believe that, if you work hard and play by the rules, you and your children can and should succeed in America. I look forward to working with all of my colleagues in this Chamber to make that a reality.