WASHINGTON, Oct. 12 -- U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order on Thursday to gut the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as Obamacare, after GOP-controlled Congress repeatedly failed to repeal or replace it.
Suggesting that premiums under Obamacare "have gone skyrocketing," Trump labeled his executive order as "first steps to providing millions of Americans with Obamacare relief" before signing the document at the Roosevelt Room of the White House.
Though the executive order won't be able to wipe away the country's health care reform law, the president can use it to direct how the law is carried out.
The order, according to Trump, asks several government departments to take action to "increase competition, increase choice, and increase access to lower-priced, high-quality healthcare options" while costing the U.S. government "virtually nothing."
The Trump order proposes to allow more small businesses to form associations to buy affordable and competitive health insurance and expand these associations and health care plans across state line so as to create what the president called tremendous competition and low prices.
Besides, Trump said the administration will explore ways to make short-term limited duration insurance "more widely available," a kind of health insurance policies not allowed to last more than three months under Obamacare rules.
He also instructed to find ways to allow more businesses to use tax-free health reimbursement arrangements to compensate their employees for their healthcare expenses.
The executive order is viewed as Trump's most concrete action to undo the ACA, a signature domestic policy by former President Barack Obama, after Senate Republicans had repeatedly failed to pass legislation to dismantle the 2010 law, a promise Trump has made to his voters.
Trump said congressional Democrats broke the U.S. healthcare system seven years ago "by forcing the Obamacare nightmare onto the American people," saying that "the cost of Obamacare has been so outrageous it is absolutely destroying everything in its wake."
Those proposals, Trump noted, "should have been done a long time ago, and it could have been done a long time ago," but White House officials said the changes could take at least six months to take effect.
Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who stood behind Trump at the signing ceremony, backed the president's move, saying that it would "reduce government interference and provide more affordable health care options to everyday Americans."
Democrats, who have consistently opposed the GOP's efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare, voiced their opposition against the executive order.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York tweeted that Trump is "using a wrecking ball to singlehandedly rip apart and sabotage" the country's health care system after attempts to repeal the ACA failed in Congress.
"The American people overwhelmingly rejected Trumpcare, but President Trump is still spitefully trying to sabotage their health care," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.
Though he managed to circumvent the legislative process to push for his plans, Trump, who often blasted Obama on executive orders, would still need Congress help to eventually fulfill his promise to end Obamacare.
"We're going to also pressure Congress very strongly to finish the repeal and the replace of Obamacare once and for all," Trump said.
中国要在朝鲜和美国间做出艰难抉择
Telltale signs?
统计表明 自杀是我国青壮年死亡首因
Welcome to Arundel Castle which is situated in West 阅读理解答案
我国将全面推行“河长制”
国内英语资讯:Chinas top legislature concludes bi-monthly session
国内英语资讯:China urges EU to stop interfering in Hong Kong, Macao affairs
国内英语资讯:Chinas cargo spacecraft completes in-orbit refueling
美国民调:特朗普、民主党、共和党,谁都不受青睐
鲍勃•迪伦诺贝尔获奖感言
UK ranked 15th for school science education, study about seals 英国中学自然科学教育排世界第十五、研究海豹的水中生活
听说,最近流行“迷你KTV”?
给你讲讲法国最热总统候选人的传奇婚姻
国际英语资讯:Putin, Abe promise cooperation amid Russia-Japan territorial disputes
国内英语资讯:China eyes better military relations with the U.S.: spokesman
熬夜越多越不想运动,俗称懒癌晚期
王健林登2017福布斯华人富豪榜榜首
Giraffes added to ‘vulnerable’ list 长颈鹿被列入“易危”物种名单
如果你足够幸运,仅需2.5美元这座庄园就属于你
特朗普“史上最大力度”税改 被指牺牲中产为富人减税
Dear Tom,How is everything going recently? 短文改错
Last night,I watched TV until nearly 12 O'clock,短文改错
The main cause of death and disability in the US阅读理解答案
新版5英镑钞票有一个重大语法错误…你发现了吗?
六级备考:24个六级必背听力难词
假如你的朋友Mike 明年打算去游览上海迪士尼乐园,请你写一封120词左右的信,介绍一下上海迪士尼,并给出你的建议。
大马士革机场附近发生爆炸
女人择偶该以人品为标准还是金钱为标准?
书面表达:目前,中国已经进入汽车社会,越来越多的汽车正走进寻常百姓家
盘点分手时说哪些话最伤人心
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |