President’s Comments Make Painfully Clear that Ernst and GOP’s Rush to Fill SCOTUS Vacancy is Aimed at Adding the Deciding Vote to Repeal Coverage Protections for Pre-Existing Conditions

Today, President Trump announced that he wants the Supreme Court to “end” the Affordable Care Act, which could kick 227,000 Iowans off of health coverage and end coverage protections for pre-existing conditions.

Senator Joni Ernst – who literally took aim at the ACA during her 2014 campaign, supports the GOP lawsuit before the Supreme Court to repeal the ACA, and just this morning voted to advance the confirmation of an anti-ACA SCOTUS nominee who could cast the deciding vote to strike down the health care law – is silent as the president confirms the GOP agenda of eliminating the health care law in the middle of a pandemic.

“Senator Ernst’s reckless effort to end the ACA and gut coverage protections for pre-existing conditions is on the ballot, and voters are turning out in droves to put that threat to bed,” said Jeremy Busch, Iowa Democratic Party spokesperson. “It’s shameful that Senator Ernst refuses to condemn this effort to undermine our health care. But the fact is, Ernst sold out Iowans to her Big Pharma and insurance industry donors, and Iowans know they can’t trust her in Washington.”

Senator Ernst excruciatingly admitted she has no plan to protect health coverage if the ACA is repealed, and she has supported legislation that would strip protections for pre-existing conditions coverage. Ernst even desperately tried to cover up her anti-health care agenda with a stunt vote this month, because she knows that her harmful record is dragging down her re-election. A recent poll from Data for Progress also found that two-thirds of Iowa voters oppose the Supreme Court repealing the ACA.