WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08) released the following statement Friday after the American Health Care Act was pulled from the House floor:

“As I have said: ‘The Affordable Care Act is broken in many areas and desperately needs to be fixed or replaced with a system that works better for everyone.’ That should be the goal for any lawmaker, regardless of party. We have the opportunity to make needed reforms to lower costs and increase access to health care – let’s take the time, and do the work, to get it right. That means addressing several concerns including services for opioid addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery.”

Fitzpatrick announced earlier this week he would not support the bill.

Earlier this year, Fitzpatrick launched a Health Care Listening Tour comprising of sit-down meetings and listening sessions with patients, physicians, industry professionals, and local stakeholders on health care reform. He continues to actively solicit constituent input regarding the future of healthcare. His deliberate approach seeks to compare current policy with new proposals that advance the progress of healthcare in America.

As member of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force, Fitzpatrick testified earlier this month before a House Appropriations subcommittee to urge for robust funding authorized by CARA and the 21st Century Cures Act to help communities combat the opioid epidemic. Additionally, he has advocated for increased access to healthcare and medical treatments, including speaking out in support of removing barriers to care for the terminally ill Americans. Fitzpatrick has also called for the doubling women’s health funding at the National Institutes of Health from $4 billion to $8 billion.