While all eyez were on Comey’s hearing yesterday, Senate Republican leaders continued their secretive plot to take health care away from 23 million people. Yesterday, Senate majority leaders and the all-male health care working group met behind literal closed doors to continue negotiations on their version of Trumpcare. Guess what? It won’t be much different from the House version. Also during yesterday’s hearing we learned that moderate Republican senators—many of whom have promised to protect Medicaid coverage—are actually willing to strip Medicaid coverage from millions of people as long as it happens slowly.
The Senate is serious about bringing Trumpcare up to a vote as soon as possible. On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell implemented a senate rule that allows the chamber to skip the committee process altogether. That means the Senate could feasibly bring Trumpcare to a vote before the Fourth of July recess—with absolutely no opportunity for debate.
Make no mistake: this bill has nothing to do with health care. If Senate leadership were serious about reforming our health care system they would seek the input of the American people, medical professionals, insurers—and at the very least—their Senate colleagues. Instead, they are hoping to force this bill through as quickly as possible, hoping no one will notice. For more on the Senate bill, watch the latest video in our Get Smart series with Daily Action.
ACTION OF THE DAY
Resist Trumpcare. Senate Leadership has realized that Americans won’t let them take away their health care without a fight. That is why they are working to pass Trumpcare as quickly as they possibly can. Let the Senate know we are watching and won’t watch quietly as they strip health care coverage away from 23 million Americans. Go to TrumpcareToolkit.org for all the information you need to urge your senator to resist Trumpcare.
WHAT’S TRENDING
Backfires. Prime Minister Theresa May triggered parliamentary elections three years early with the hope that her conservative majority would grow ahead of Brexit talks. Yesterday, it backfired. The Conservative Party lost its majority, which means Britain’s parliament is now hung and May will be forced to form a new governing coalition.
“Lordy.” The reactions to Comey’s blockbuster hearing continue. ICYMI: Comey called Trump a liar. Former State Department official Max Bergmann joins Igor Volsky to recap the hearing in a bonus episode of ThinkingCAP.
I Stand With Refugees. Every day, 34,000 people are forcibly displaced from their homes. It has never been more important for the United States to open its doors to refugees. Join the Stand With Refugees campaign leading up to World Refugee Day on June 20th to send the message that we welcome refugees. Find out how to take action to support refugees at StandWithRefugees.us.
Is Trump At Bedminster? Yep. Find out what else we could be doing with the money spent on Trump’s vacations.
UNDER THE RADAR
CHOICE Act. Also while everyone was consumed with post-Comey coverage, the House passed the Financial CHOICE Act, a bill that dismantles the crucial financial reform efforts of Dodd Frank. GOP leaders claim financial reform has hamstrung the economy. That is patently false: bank lending has increased since the crisis, unemployment is at its lowest point in a decade, and banks are as profitable as ever. The CHOICE Act leaves the economy vulnerable to another calamity like the Great Recession and is a slap in the face to working Americans still recovering from the financial crisis.
GOOD NEWS
National Equality March. LGBTQ people and allies are mobilizing this Sunday in DC to fight for the rights, safety, and dignity of all marginalized communities. Get all the details here. Or check out solidarity events in other cities here. And, of course, all the details for Capital Pride are here. Happy Pride!