Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, issued the following statement today after voting against a Republican bill that would fully defund the Affordable Care Act and keep damaging across-the-board spending cuts known as sequestration in place.

“This bill sends a dangerous message, telling Americans that unless they agree to bring back discriminatory health insurance, higher drug costs for seniors, and expensive preventive care, Republicans in Congress will shut down the government entirely.

“The Affordable Care Act, passed by Congress, signed by the President, and upheld by the Supreme Court, is the law of the land. In two weeks, thousands of Washington residents will be able to sign up for affordable health insurance on Washington Healthplanfinder. Improvements to our health care have taken root, and the progress is going to continue.

“Congress must do more than just keep the lights on, but we should at least be able to do that. We have 10 days before the government runs out of money. Maybe now that House Republicans have voted and failed for the 42^nd time to repeal, defund and undermine the Affordable Care Act, they can get serious about governing responsibly.

“While Republicans waste time, I’m working to improve the economy in the Northwest. I’m focused on investing in our roads, bridges and highways to create jobs and build the platform for future economic growth. We need to invest in our workforce by keeping college affordable and making sure our veterans can use their skills to get good jobs. And we need to double down on our job powerhouses, bringing more aerospace jobs to our state and opening new export opportunities for our companies.”

To learn more about Rep. Larsen’s initiatives to improve the economy, click here.