On Tuesday, Reps. Pete Aguilar, Judy Chu and Sydney Kamlager-Dove joined Protect Our Care to highlight record-breaking open enrollment numbers, including the 1.7 million Californians who have signed up for affordable coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

The Biden Administration announced that 21.3 million people across the nation enrolled in health coverage during the latest open enrollment period. These numbers are nearly double the number of people enrolled when President Biden took office and include more than five million new signups.

“We know that when people are not burdened by bills, they can fully contribute to their communities and pursue their aspirations without the looming shadow of financial insecurity,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “That’s why I am a proud defender of the Affordable Care Act and will continue working to expand it so that more Americans can benefit from affordable health care.”

“These historic enrollment numbers in Affordable Care Act plans prove that after more than 70 Republican-led attempts to repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act over the past 13 years, the law is working, and it should be strengthened. Thanks to the hard work of Democrats in Congress and President Biden, millions of Americans who never had health care can continue to see a doctor without fear of bankruptcy, even if they have a preexisting condition. We must remain vigilant, however, because while Donald Trump continues to refuse to release a health care plan, he and Republicans have still promised to ‘terminate’ the ACA. Thankfully, the American people have been clear in elections all over the country: they support the ACA and the protection it provides to the 21.3 million of us enrolled in health exchanges and the 135 million of us with preexisting conditions, like pregnancy, asthma, arthritis, cancer or heart disease,” said Rep. Judy Chu.

“The increased number of insured Americans is a testament to the work that Congressional Democrats have done. Under the leadership of President Biden, we’ve fought to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and ensure out-of-pocket costs are low for those who need it the most. We have a moral obligation to improve access to health care, especially since it has been constantly under attack. Health care is a human right, and Democrats remain committed to making health care access more equitable than ever,” said Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove.

In 2022, Rep. Aguilar worked to pass the Inflation Reduction Act into law to reduce health insurance premium costs. Since its passage, 80 percent of enrollees were able to find a health plan through the ACA Marketplace for $10 or less per month. In 2021, Rep. Aguilar also helped pass the American Rescue Plan to extend eligibility for ACA health insurance subsidies.

Recording of the virtual press conference can be found here.