Statement from Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO of MomsRising, a national online and on-the-ground organization of more than 1 million mothers and their families, on the U.S. Senate’s failed push to repeal the Affordable Care Act:

“Moms across America are breathing a temporary sigh of relief today because the U.S. Senate leadership’s push to repeal the Affordable Care Act failed -- at least for now. Despite a flurry of last-minute back-room dealings, Senate Republican leaders were rightly unable to corral enough votes to pass their destructive ‘Skinny Repeal’ bill, which would have destabilized insurance markets, ripped coverage away from millions of people, and caused lasting damage to the health of our families and to our economy.

“The moms of America thank the U.S. Senators who stood strong for our children and economy today.

“On the whole, too many Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate have shown shocking disregard for our nation’s families throughout this process. Each bill they introduced would have been catastrophic for our health care system and our country, throwing tens of millions of people off their health insurance while raising premiums for those who maintain coverage. Legislation that would have affected one-sixth of our economy and threatened the lives of tens of millions of people was drafted hastily and in secret. Low-income families, people with disabilities, the elderly, and those who live in rural and medically underserved communities would have suffered the most, with a compounding impact in Black, Latinx, Asian, Native American, and LGBTQ+ communities.

“For months, tens of thousands of MomsRising members across the country have been speaking out against repeal, making calls, attending meetings, sending letters, sharing their stories, and taking other actions to urge Congress to protect the Affordable Care Act and preserve Medicaid -- including by delivering storybooks to senators on Capitol Hill and at Senate district offices around the country.

“That advocacy paid off today, when enough Senators had the courage to stand up against a bill that would have caused extraordinary harm to their constituents. But our country only narrowly avoided disaster, and many in the House and Senate are still determined to repeal the Affordable Care Act, no matter the cost. The moms of America will not stand for that. We will remain vigilant and oppose any bill that would make health insurance less affordable, less accessible and less comprehensive.

“For now, we hope Congress will move on. Republicans still have a chance to make good on their promises to the American people by working with Democrats to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and improve our health care system, rather than ram through cruel, unpopular bills that damage our families and economy just to claim a partisan victory. We are thankful we avoided a crisis today.”