--- title: Read Barack Obama's Speech at the Gates Foundation description: Former President Barack Obama delivered remarks at an event sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation held in New York City canonical: https://time.com/4950410/barack-obama-speech-bill-melinda-gates-goalkeepers/ author: Aric Jenkins article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-09-20T19:32:21.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-08T09:52:37.489Z article:section: Politics og:title: Read Barack Obama's Speech Bashing the GOP's '50th or 60th' Attempt to Repeal Obamacare og:description: The former President praised the efforts of young people while firing shots at the GOP og:url: https://time.com/4950410/barack-obama-speech-bill-melinda-gates-goalkeepers/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcc4bd8ff2f164ae2/6988de9d0b72e3d7a36ef861/barack-obama-goalkeers-bill-gates.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: Goalkeepers: The Global Goals 2017 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Read Barack Obama's Speech Bashing the GOP's '50th or 60th' Attempt to Repeal Obamacare twitter:description: The former President praised the efforts of young people while firing shots at the GOP twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcc4bd8ff2f164ae2/6988de9d0b72e3d7a36ef861/barack-obama-goalkeers-bill-gates.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Read Barack Obama's Speech Bashing the GOP's '50th or 60th' Attempt to Repeal Obamacare > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=2b560012-8ee1-45eb-a94c-538008c18371&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Barack Obama Criticizes '50th or 60th' Attempt to Repeal the Affordable Care Act [Watch (HLS stream): Barack Obama Criticizes '50th or 60th' Attempt to Repeal the Affordable Care Act](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/g2ignFJZ.m3u8) (2:05)  _Published 2017-09-20. Barack Obama waded into the debate on healthcare Tuesday, sharply criticizing Republicans' last-ditch attempts to repeal his signature legislative achievement._ by [Aric Jenkins](https://time.com/author/aric-jenkins/) ## Aric Jenkins Sep 20, 2017 7:32 PM UTC by [Aric Jenkins](https://time.com/author/aric-jenkins/) ## Aric Jenkins Sep 20, 2017 7:32 PM UTC Former President [Barack Obama](http://time.com/4926116/barack-obama-letter-to-trump/) delivered remarks Wednesday at an event sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation held in New York City. The event, called Goalkeepers, was aimed at “accelerating world progress,” its website [states](http://www.globalgoals.org/goalkeepers/). Obama took the stage as the keynote speaker following remarks from Bill and Melinda Gates, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am, and more. Obama touched upon the various global challenges facing the current generation and how young people must remain optimistic in light of increasing issues with “growing economic inequality, a changing climate, terrorism,” and more. At one point, the former president appeared to [call out the GOP for its efforts to dismantle his signature health care policy](http://time.com/4949837/obamacare-repeal-barack-obama-graham-cassidy/), saying: “\[A\]ll of this being done without any demonstrable economic, or actuarial, or plain common sense rationale — it frustrates. And it’s certainly frustrating to have to mobilize every couple months to keep our leaders from inflicting real human suffering on our constituents.” Read former President Obama’s full speech at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation event below: --- > “” --- ## Transcript For the first time, more than 90 % of Americans know the security of health insurance. Paying more for insurance or being denied insurance because of a pre- existing condition or because you are a woman, that's not a thing anymore. We got rid of that. And people are alive today because of it, and that's progress. Now [ BLANK_AUDIO ] The legislation that we passed was full of things that still need to be fixed. It wasn't perfect. But it was better. And so when I see people trying to undo that hard won progress. For the 50th or 60th time [ LAUGH ] With bills that would raise cost, or reduce coverage, or roll back protections for older Americans, or people with preexisting conditions. The cancer survivor, the expecting mom, or the child with autism, or asthma. For whom coverage, once again, would be almost unattainable. It is aggravating. And all of this being done without any demonstrable, economic or actuarial? Or plain common sense rationale. It frustrates and it's certainly frustrating to have to mobilize every couple of months to keep Our leaders from inflicting real human suffering on our constituents. But typically that's how progress is won, and how progress is maintained on every issue. We have to stand up for each other, recognize that progress is never inevitable. That it often can be fragile. It's a need of constant renewal and our individual progress and our collected progress depends on our willingness to roll up our sleeves and work. [ APPLAUSE ] And not be afraid to work. 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