DNC Chair Tom Perez released the following statement after a federal judge in Texas ruled core provisions of the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional, siding with Trump and Republicans:

“Republicans are as close as they’ve ever been to destroying the Affordable Care Act and taking health care away from millions of Americans. This decision threatens the lives of so many who have benefitted from the Affordable Care Act – from people with pre-existing conditions to children who have finally gotten access to the care they deserve. It must be appealed immediately.

“This case is emblematic of the concerted effort by Republicans at every level of government – from statehouses, to Congress, to the White House. For nearly a decade now, the Republican Party has been defined by its cruel, costly, and relentless goal to take away people’s health care. They didn’t stop after the Supreme Court ruled the ACA constitutional in 2012. They didn’t stop after the American people overwhelmingly rejected their attempts to repeal the law last year. They didn’t stop when American voters across the country went to the polls last month and voted for Democrats up and down the ballot. And as today’s decision makes clear, they won’t stop until they have reached their goal of completely dismantling the ACA.

“Make no mistake: This is one of the most dangerous and consequential attacks Republicans have ever launched on the ACA – and Democrats must fight back with everything we have.

“Democrats believe health care is a right for all, and we must build on our success in 2018 by beating Donald Trump, taking back the U.S. Senate, and electing more Democrats up and down the ballot who will fight to ensure that every American has access to the care they deserve.”