NASHVILLE, Tenn. - President Barack Obama returned to Nashville Wednesday, where discussed health care reform, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling which upheld the government program.
The visit marked the third time President Obama has been to Nashville in 18 months.
The President stepped off Air Force One around 12:30 p.m., shortly before a heavy downpour moved through the area. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean greeted Obama on the tarmac before he spoke to a small crowd.
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From there, the President stopped in Madison to picked up Kelly Bryant and take her to the event. Bryant, who received health care after she was diagnosed with cancer, introduced Obama to the crowd at the school.
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The group at Taylor Stratton Elementary School was primarily made up of residents who wrote to the President about the Affordable Care Act, as well as other medical professionals and health care workers.
In June, the Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 that an integral part of the ACA is constitutional.
Over 16 million Americans have obtained health insurance through the ACA; however, Tennessee is one of the states that hasn’t expanded Medicaid under it.
Press Secretary Josh Ernest said the goal is to lower the cost of health care and improve outcomes for patients, which Tennessee has been able to achieve.
Local GOP members reacted to the president's speech saying they felt he had little substance in it.
"The reality of it is Obamacare is a failed experiment," said Tennessee Republican Party Chair Ryan Haynes. "We don’t want to encourage that we want to make sure that as Republicans we’re coming up with solutions that actually work for Americans and Tennesseans."
Haynes also said the president's speech was more of a "victory lap" and he added he believes Tennesseans deserve "real solutions."
"What we look forward to is electing a Republican president in 2016 to repeal this law and replace it with better solutions for Americans," Haynes said.
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The president had left the area on Air Force One by 4 p.m.
Police said over 120 officers are assisting the Secret Service with security.
Obama last visited Nashville in December, where he praised the city's efforts to help the growing immigrant population adapt to life in the U.S.
