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Pence Visits Milwaukee to Promote Trump Agenda and GOP Efforts to Replace the ACA

White House
VP Pence touted White House and Republican solutions to economic problems challenging the U.S.

Vice President Mike Pence made his remarks on Saturday afternoon, alongside Gov. Scott Walker and before a few dozen seated guests at Direct Supply - a medical supply company on Milwaukee's northwest side. Pence called President Trump a builder and praised him as, “a fighter and a winner” for rolling back red tape, withdrawing from the Paris climate control accord and for focusing on job creation.

Pence also declared that, “Obamacare is dead” and devoted much of his address to criticizing the ACA. He said it has resulted in enormous premium and deductible hikes and insurers pulling out of the marketplace.

According to Pence, the plan House Republicans drafted and narrowly passed, the American Health Care Act will give citizens the freedom to purchase their own plans by expanding health care savings accounts and offering buyers a tax credit.

The U.S. Senate is currently working on its own version of a health care reform bill, following an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office. It estimated the GOP House plan would, over the next ten years, leave 23 million more people without insurance (than if the ACA remained in effect), while lowering the deficit by $119 billion.

Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin released a statement in response to Pence’s lobbying in Wisconsin. Her statement reads in part, “Working families in Wisconsin, who are already struggling to make ends meet, will be especially hard hit by this partisan legislation. Vice President Pence needs to explain to Wisconsin families why he wants Washington to make them pay more for less care and increase the number of people who are uninsured. If you are struggling with health care costs, this legislation will raise average premiums next year. If you are older, you will pay an age tax, and if you have a pre-existing condition, the guaranteed protections and care that you have today may not be there tomorrow.”

On Tuesday, President Trump plans to visit the Milwaukee, likely stopping at a tech school to promote apprenticeships and the trades, as an alternative to four-year college degrees.

Pence made no mention of the various investigations underway involving the Trump campaign, related to Russia's meddling in the 2016 election.