WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tomorrow, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) will attend the State of the Union with Tanya Flanagan, a constituent from North Las Vegas. Flanagan is a three-time cancer survivor who works for Clark County as a Public Information Administrator. As a Nevadan with a pre-existing condition, Flanagan would be at risk of being denied access to affordable health care if the protections of the Affordable Care Act were to be repealed or struck down in federal court.
“I’m honored to have Tanya as my guest for the State of the Union. Tanya is a brave woman who has defeated cancer on three separate occasions, and while the Trump Administration continues to find ways to dismantle our health care system, she is working tirelessly as a health care advocate by courageously sharing her story,” said Senator Rosen. “Nevadans like Tanya shouldn’t have to worry about what could happen if they lose their health insurance. The President needs to see first-hand the lives that he is putting at risk by his repeated attempts to undermine and repeal the Affordable Care Act.”
“I am very grateful to be joining Senator Rosen at the State of the Union. As someone who has faced multiple difficult battles with cancer, I could not imagine what it would be like if I didn’t have affordable coverage,” said Flanagan. “Senator Rosen has been helping lead the effort to protect access to health care for people like me, and I hope that by sharing my story, I’ll help others realize just how important this issue is.”
BACKGROUND: One of the first actions Rosen took as Senator was introducing a resolution with Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) to defend protections for those with pre-existing conditions. Rosen’s Senate resolution would authorize the Senate Legal Counsel to intervene in Texas vs. United States – a pending lawsuit in federal court, on behalf of the U.S. Senate, in order to defend the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act’s coverage protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Last Congress, Rosen led this same legislation when she was in the House. Earlier last month, the House passed legislation that included core provisions from Rosen’s resolution to defend the constitutionality of the ACA and its pre-existing conditions protections. Rosen’s resolution was co-sponsored by the Ranking Members of all House committees of jurisdiction in addition to Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer. The resolution had nearly 190 co-sponsors by the end of the 115th Congress. According to the Center for American Progress, 1.2 million Nevadans have a pre-existing condition.
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