President Obama is celebrating the milestone achievement of his signature healthcare law after enrollment in insurance plans beat expectations. Speaking at the White House, Obama said more than 7.1 million people signed up for insurance before this week’s deadline for open enrollment. And after years of Republican-led repeal efforts and a disastrous rollout last year, Obama said the law is here to stay.

President Obama: “Last night, the first open-enrollment period under this law came to an end. And despite several lost weeks out of the gate because of problems with the website, 7.1 million Americans have now signed up for private insurance plans through these marketplaces — 7.1. … I will always work with anyone who is willing to make this law work even better. But the debate over repealing this law is over. The Affordable Care Act is here to stay.”

The Obamacare program marks the nation’s largest expansion of health coverage since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. But it still leaves millions uninsured while keeping the for-profit insurance industry intact. In his comments, Obama acknowledged the law has not fixed the nation’s healthcare woes, but criticized those trying to undermine its gains.

President Obama: “So, no, the Affordable Care Act hasn’t completely fixed our long-broken healthcare system, but this law has made our healthcare system a lot better. A lot better. … I’ve got to admit, I don’t get it: Why are folks working so hard for people not to have health insurance? Why are they so mad about the idea of folks having health insurance? Many of the tall tales that have been told about this law have been debunked. There are still no death panels. Armageddon has not arrived. Instead, this law is helping millions of Americans.”