Texas Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert told Breitbart News on Wednesday he is not surprised that Speaker Paul Ryan (R.-WI) crafted his American Health Care Act to keep the individual mandate and the essential benefits provisions of Obamacare, because the bill is a bailout for the insurance companies.
“I am not surprised because I was here during the Wall Street bailout,” said Gohmert, who is one of more than 25 House Freedom Caucus members pledged to oppose the RyanCare bill that is expected to be voted on Thursday. “We did a very bad thing for America then.”
Gohmert said the focus of any health care policy bill needs to be forcing down premiums, which is what Republicans campaigned on in the last election cycle.
“The bill right now will not bring premiums down–maybe ten percent over three years? My gosh, I’ve got single moms and seniors and families that cannot afford the premiums they have right now. They need help,” he said.
“We have got to keep our promise, and we are determined to keep our promise—keep the president’s promise,” he said.
“It may be uncomfortable right now, but in the end we know we are going to come up with a good product–we just aren’t there yet.”