Press Release

September 6, 2018
Cardin Cosponsors Legislation to Overturn the Trump Administration’s Expansion of Junk Insurance Plans
Trump's junk insurance plans don't have to provide health care coverage for people with pre-existing conditions

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) today announced he will cosponsor legislation to overturn the Trump administration’s expansion of “junk insurance” plans. The legislation needs the support of 30 Senators to force a vote, and as of today, 44 Senators have cosponsored the resolution of disapproval of the Trump administration’s final junk insurance plan rule.

“Junk insurance plans are exempt from covering essential services, like prescription drugs, emergency room visits, maternity care – or any service that treats a preexisting condition. The Trump Administration’s efforts to expand the use of these plans is bankrupt of all sense and morality,” said Senator Cardin. “Fixing our health care system requires serious leadership and ideas, but so far, all the Trump Administration has done is continually attempt to undermine protections for people with preexisting conditions.”

Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced the resolution last week. The full list of cosponsors includes Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Doug Jones (D-AL), Angus King (I-ME), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jon Tester (D-MT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Tom Udall (D-NM), Mark Warner (D-VA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

Congressional Review Act (CRA) disapproval resolutions that obtain the support of 30 or more Senators on a discharge petition force a vote on the Senate floor. Senator Baldwin has the support needed to file a discharge petition and force a vote under the CRA on her resolution to overturn the Trump Administration’s expansion of junk insurance plans. A simple majority vote in the Senate would pass the resolution and send it to the House of Representatives.

Text of the resolution is available here.

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