HEALTHCARE/OBAMaCARE(ACA)/POLITICS: “Democrats will grind Senate business to a halt in a protest against Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare.
Beginning Monday [6-19-17] night, Democrats will start objecting to all unanimous consent requests in the Senate, according to a Democratic aide. They plan to control the floor of the chamber Monday night and try to force the House-passed health care bill to committee in a bid to further delay it.
Without the votes to block Obamacare repeal, Democrats are turning to procedural moves they believe will underscore their most powerful argument: Republicans are hiding their repeal plan from the public and using Senate procedures to keep it a secret.
‘Republicans are drafting this bill in secret because they’re ashamed of it, plain and simple,’ said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. ‘These are merely the first steps we’re prepared to take in order to shine a light on this shameful Trumpcare bill and reveal to the public the GOP’s true intentions: to give the uber-wealthy a tax break while making middle class Americans pay more for less health care coverage. If Republicans won’t relent and debate their health care bill in the open for the American people to see, then they shouldn’t expect business as usual in the Senate.’ “
-Jennifer Haberkorn, “Democrats to halt Senate business over Obamacare repeal,” Politico, June 19, 2017 11:32am