Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is sticking to his commitment to bring the Senate’s version of Trumpcare up for a vote before Congress’s July 4th recess. The Senate can’t vote on the bill before the CBO scores their version, which means the bill will have to be finalized this week. And reports suggest their bill could be as bad—or worse—than the House version.
As a reminder, an all-male team of 13 Senators—led by McConnell—has been drafting this bill in secret for weeks. No official draft has been released, no public hearings have been held—and Senate Republicans outside the committee don’t even know what is in the bill. That means McConnell is so desperate to get this vote out of the way, he is willing to force his colleagues to vote on a bill that could take health care away from millions of Americans without so much as a single public hearing.
Meanwhile, opposition to Trumpcare keeps coming: On Friday, a bipartisan group of Governors wrote an open letter denouncing the House Trumpcare bill and demanding an open process in the Senate; Editorial boards from across the country are highlighting the disastrous repeal efforts; and tonight, Senate Democrats will hold a talkathon late into the night to call out efforts to rush through a bill that could jeopardize the lives of millions of Americans.
ACTION OF THE DAY
Act Now. It is more important than ever that you make your voice heard and demand that your Senator vote no on Trumpcare. This week could make or break the law’s future and we need your help. We’ve added a handful of new functions to TrumpcareToolkit.org. Now, in addition to being able to call and tweet at your elected officials you can:
- Enlist your friends in target states who can pressure their senators
- Send an automated fax to members
- Write a letter to the editor
WHAT’S TRENDING
London. One man died and ten others were injured after a man drove a van into a crowd of worshipers who had just left Ramadan prayers in London in what Mayor Sadiq Khan called a “horrific terrorist attack on innocent people.” The attacker was reported to have yelled that he wanted to “kill all Muslims.” This is the fourth terrorist attack to strike London this year and the third to involve a vehicle. Prime Minister Theresa May said the attack “is a reminder that terrorism, extremism and hatred take many forms; and our determination to tackle them must be the same whoever is responsible.”
System Failure. On Friday, Jeronimo Yanez, the police officer who shot and killed Philando Castile during a traffic stop last year was acquitted of all charges. Castile’s girlfriend livestreamed the entire incident, which led to national outrage. Castile represents just one of the far too many black lives lost at the hands of police. And now, Yanez represents one of the far too many police officers who go unpunished. As Castile’s mother Valerie said, “The system continues to fail black people.” We must do better.
#OurLivesOnTheLine. A new campaign launched today to let Congress know we will not sit idly by as they try to take health care coverage away from 23 million Americans. So on July 29, Americans across the country are coming together to make it clear that our lives are on the line if Trumpcare passes.
#FlipThe6th. The heated special election to replace now Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District is tomorrow. Here’s what to watch for. The race could also be a referendum on Trumpcare. In that district alone, 58,200 people stand to lose coverage if Trumpcare passes.
UNDER THE RADAR
Off-Kilter. This week on Off-Kilter, Laura Durso, Chelsea Parsons, and Audrey Juarez Rubio join the show to discuss the anniversary of the Pulse shooting and the paths forward for LGBTQ rights and gun violence prevention. Plus, Trump’s budget is about to be brought back from the dead, so Congressman John Yarmuth and Representative Barbara Lee join the show to explain what’s at stake for everyone who isn’t a millionaire (or big corporation). Listen here.
GOOD NEWS
Oregon. During the Beaver State’s pride week and right in the middle of national pride month, Oregon became the first state to allow people to identify as nonbinary on their driver’s licenses. The administrative change was simple and as Transportation Commission member Sean O’Hollaren said, its impact for nonbinary people will be much larger.