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News Monday, Jun 12 2017

Senate Republicans are hiding their Trumpcare bill from the American people

Jun 12, 2017

The House Trumpcare bill would cost 23 million people their insurance, gut coverage for pre-existing conditions, and slash Medicaid by $800 billion in order to provide new, unaffordable tax breaks for the rich — which is why it’s a nonstarter with the public. American Bridge spokesperson Andrew Bates released the following reaction to Senate Republicans refusing to release their Trumpcare bill to the public because, as a Republican Senate aide said, they “aren’t stupid.”

“When it comes to Trumpcare, lobbyists are in the room but the American people are shut out. Not only are Senate Republicans furiously writing their own version of Trumpcare behind closed doors with lobbyists and special interests, but now they are outright refusing to show the American people their bill, which would radically restructure the American healthcare system. Hiding this from the American families that would be personally affected by this is atrocious, and it provokes grave questions about their trustworthiness and priorities. The country isn’t going to let this stand,” said American Bridge spokesperson Andrew Bates.

Axios: Senate GOP won’t release draft health care bill
Caitlin Owens

Senate Republicans are on track to finish writing their draft health care bill this evening, but have no plans to publicly release the bill, according to two senior Senate GOP aides.

“We aren’t stupid,” said one of the aides. One issue is that Senate Republicans plan to keep talking about it after the draft is done: “We are still in discussions about what will be in the final product so it is premature to release any draft absent further member conversations and consensus.”

Why it matters: Democratic senators are already slamming Republicans for the secrecy of their bill writing process, and this isn’t going to help. Republicans are sure to release the bill at some point, but it’s unclear when — and they want to vote on it in the next three weeks, before the July 4 recess.

What to watch: When the bill is finished, it’ll be sent to the Congressional Budget Office. It’ll take CBO about two weeks to evaluate and score a draft bill. Senate Republicans then want to vote on the bill before the July 4th recess. “Conversations with CBO continue” but there are no new announcements about timing, said Don Stewart, a spokesman for Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, when asked about these plans.


Published: Jun 12, 2017

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