President Joe Biden visits Raleigh, discusses affordable healthcare and Gaza

President Joe Biden visited Raleigh on Tuesday to discuss lowering healthcare costs and defending Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act, and he responded to protestors calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. 

Biden took the stage at Chavis Community Center days after the anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010 to speak on its impact and importance.

“Fourteen years ago this week, I stood by President Obama when he signed the Affordable Care Act into law — Obamacare,” Biden said. “It’s even a bigger deal today. The Affordable Care Act is the most consequential healthcare since Medicare and Medicaid, and that’s a fact.”

Biden criticized the actions of former President Donald Trump and his supporters by stressing that affordable healthcare is for all — a message he maintained when he was interrupted by protestors asking about access to healthcare in Gaza. Biden paused his speech to respond that everybody deserves healthcare.

“Be patient with them,” Biden said as security escorted the protestors out of the venue. “They have a point; we need to get a lot more care into Gaza.”

Biden continued with his speech after the interruption and discussed the accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration that have preserved the ACA despite pushback from Republicans in Congress. 

House Republicans recently proposed $4.5 trillion in budget cuts for the ACA, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Biden said his administration would work to ensure the ACA is not repealed. 

“They want to get rid of the Affordable Healthcare Act again,” Biden said. “But I got news for them. We’re going to stop them again.”

Biden called on Congress to renew the tax credits implemented through the American Rescue Plan Act and Inflation Reduction Act. He said doing so would preserve affordable healthcare for millions of Americans. 

“Those tax credits expire next year,” Biden said. “I’m calling on Congress to make that $800 expanded affordable healthcare tax credit permanent. Otherwise, millions of Americans with that coverage could lose their coverage.”

Biden addressed Trump’s goals to cut taxes for the wealthy and said his plan would make sure they pay fair and proportional taxes. 

“I have a better idea,” Biden said. “I’ll protect Social Security and Medicare. Instead of giving the very wealthy another $2 billion, $2 trillion tax cut, I’m going to make sure the wealthy begin to pay their fair share of taxes to sustain these programs.” 

Biden also criticized the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court and former President Donald Trump’s actions to restrict reproductive healthcare and abortion access. 

“Donald Trump killed Roe v. Wade,” Biden said. “He says it has to be ‘punishment’ for women exercising their reproductive freedom. Trump and MAGA Republicans are responsible for the chaos that followed, and they’re now calling for a national ban on choice for every state — in every state, not just what is in law now.”

Biden discussed the Supreme Court hearing arguments to restrict access to mifepristone, also known as the abortion pill. 

“Folks, if America sends me a Congress that are Democrats, I promise you, Kamala and I will restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land again,” Biden said.

Biden called for public support for the ACA and other policies the Biden-Harris administration is attempting to implement and preserve.

“We’re the United States of America,” Biden said. “We’re the only country in the world that’s come out of every crisis stronger than we went in — the only country in the world. There is nothing beyond our capacity when we act together, not a single thing.”