Senate Dems plan late-night protest over ObamaCare
Senate Democrats are planning to hold a late-night talkathon Monday protesting Republicans’ push to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
The protest comes as Democrats face an uphill battle to block Republicans from repealing ObamaCare, which only needs 50 votes to clear the upper chamber through the budget reconciliation process.
Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.) said Democrats will use the Senate floor and Facebook Live to denounce the GOP plan and accuse them of causing “chaos” by moving forward without a replacement plan.
“Tonight, we are taking to the floor and social media to denounce this plan and warn the American people that the Democrats will be fighting tooth and nail against this potentially catastrophic move,” Schumer said.
Schumer added that “right now the GOP’s plan would put the insurance companies back in the driver’s seat and create chaos.”
Democrats are also planning to organize calls with constituents and outside progressive groups including Families USA, Planned Parenthood and the Service Employees International Union.
{mosads}While the GOP’s Senate majority means ObamaCare’s supporters face long odds fighting the repeal, Democrats pledged last week after a closed-door meeting with President Obama that they would try to rally constituents to oppose the GOP plan, arguing that the politics of ObamaCare favor Democrats.
The Senate is expected to vote this week on a budget resolution that will pave the way for repealing the law. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is the only GOP senator who has pledged to vote against it.
Still, a growing number of Republicans said last week that they have concerns about repealing ObamaCare without a replacement. None, however, have said they would vote against repealing without a plan.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told The Hill on Friday that absent a replacement plan, she wants lawmakers to come up with a “detailed framework” before they vote to repeal.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Sunday that Republicans would replace ObamaCare “rapidly” after repeal, but didn’t give a specific timeframe.
“I think there ought not to be a great gap between the first step and the second,” he said.
Democrats warn that if Republicans move forward with a party-line repeal vote, they will be responsible for any backlash created by potentially roiling the insurance market.
Schumer added on Monday that Democrats “cannot allow Republicans to make America sick again by repealing the ACA without a replacement plan that will ensure millions of Americans are not kicked off their insurance.”
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