Members of Congress Join Advocates, Parents, Kids Dressed As Superheroes in Capitol Hill Speak-Out to ‘Save Our Health Care’

BELLEVUE, Wash., June 21 -- MomsRising issued the following news release:

Earlier today, members of Congress joined with a coalition of progressive organizations, health care advocates, ACA beneficiaries, and parents and kids dressed as superheroes, for a speak-out on Capitol Hill urging Congress to "save our health care" by opposing the repeal of the Affordable Care Act and its replacement with a secretive Republican plan that experts estimate would devastate the American health care landscape.

At the speak-out, members of the ACLU, the American Federation of Teachers, the Center for American Progress, Families USA, Indivisible, MomsRising, MoveOn.org, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Organizing for Action, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Population Connection, the Protect Our Care Coalition, Service Employees International Union, the Town Hall Project, UltraViolet, and the Working Families Party joined with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Al Franken (D-MN), Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Senator Elizabeth Warren, (D-MA), Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) to hear from people around the country on how the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid have helped their families.

WATCH A FACEBOOK LIVE STREAM OF THE SPEAK-OUT HERE:

UltraViolet Live-Stream: weareultraviolet.org/SpeakOut

MomsRising Live-Stream: https://www.facebook.com/MomsRising.org/

VIEW PHOTOS OF THE ACTION HERE (posted by end of the day on June 21):

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e64jjph1f87eyum/AADp4RV75Oh-sKwJldZTfHYga?dl=0

After the speak-out, members of MomsRising and the coalition, flanked by kids dressed in superhero costumes, delivered stories on the importance of health care to Congress, asking them to "be a superhero for American families," oppose the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and protect Medicaid.

VIEW THE MOMSRISING STORYBOOK HERE: http://moms.ly/2tl7l14

"A repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act is a dangerous step in the wrong direction--one that would make health insurance less affordable, less accessible, less comprehensive, and damage our economy," said Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, CEO and Executive Director of MomsRising. "The moms of America aren't fooled. Taking away essential services like maternity care, mental health services, preventive care, prescription drug coverage, and decimating Medicaid would favor America's top one percent--and only the top one percent. The ones who would be left behind, as all too often, would be women, infants and children, communities of color, rural communities, people with pre-existing conditions, and all those who already struggle to pay for health coverage and care."

"In no uncertain terms, a vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act is a declaration of war on women - This bill would quite literally cost hundreds of thousands of women their lives, by eliminating guaranteed coverage of life-saving cervical and breast cancer screenings, abolishing comprehensive maternity care and domestic violence screenings, 'defunding' Planned Parenthood, and limiting women's access to birth control and emergency contraception," explained Karin Roland, Chief Campaigns Officer of UltraViolet. "Repealing the Affordable Care Act and replacing it with a secretive Republican plan isn't a solution, it's an assault on women and the beginnings of a serious national healthcare crisis--one which will cut off millions of Americans from health insurance coverage. Women across the country oppose the Republican health care agenda - and will not rest until it is defeated. We simply will not allow Republicans to betray us and our families."

"The Senate repeal bill -- negotiated in secret with no public input -- will take insurance away from millions, raise premiums for millions more and gut protections for people who need treatment for cancer and opioid abuse disorders," said Lori Lodes of Protect Our Care Coalition. "No senator should vote on this bill next week. They have an obligation to go home and explain the impacts of this disastrous bill on their constituents and their state budgets."

"It's shameful that 13 Republican men in the Senate are scheming behind closed doors to try to take away health care from millions of Americans, all so they can give a giant tax cut to the rich. MoveOn members from all walks of life, all over the country, are mobilizing to prevent Affordable Care Act repeal. Senators, you have a choice: do the right thing, and protect our care," added Ben Wikler, Washington Director for MoveOn.org. "If you boot millions of Americans off health care, we will boot you out of office."

"In the dead of night and behind closed doors, Republican leaders are plotting to take away healthcare from millions of women and families across the country. Their partisan stonewalling jeopardizes the health and wellbeing of countless Americans just so they can resuscitate Donald Trump's failing agenda. We're here today to hold Republicans accountable for this historic malfeasance," said Ilyse Hogue, President of NARAL Pro-Choice America. "NARAL's 1 million plus members are joining together with people across the nation to stand up for hardworking families and to oppose the GOP's mean plan."

"Senate conservatives have gone to unprecedented lengths to keep the American people in the dark as they move forward with this disastrous Obamacare repeal crusade," explained Jesse Lehrich, Communications Director for Organizing for Action. "In hiding their bill, they've shown us their true colors. They're trying to rip health care away from millions of families to pay for a massive tax cut for the wealthy, and they don't want anyone to know it."

"The Senate is following in the House's footsteps, ignoring the pleas of their constituents and rushing through a bill that would destroy Medicaid and strip coverage and care for millions, all to pay for a tax cut for the wealthy. It's immoral and it's wrong. Today we are sending a strong, clear message to the Senate to stop the back room dealing and listen to the American people. The lives of millions of people are at stake," said Craig Obey, Deputy Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer, Families USA. "Today we are putting Senators on notice that we, the people, are watching and will hold you accountable for taking the health care lifeline away from millions of people and from future generations."

"From day one, Indivisible groups from across the country have been fighting to stop TrumpCare. It's not just the "mean" bill that Donald Trump claims. It has no redeeming features, neither in substance nor in process," added Angel Padilla, Policy Director, Indivisible. "It's a cruel bill, pushed through in secret without public or expert input, that will cause pain for hardworking American families, all to give giant tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy. Republicans have a duty to their constituents and their country to say NO to this bill."

"Right now, the Senate is working behind closed doors to jam through a bill that would that would block millions of women from getting birth control and cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood, take away maternity coverage, and increase the cost of health insurance for millions,"said Dawn Laguens, Executive Vice President for Planned Parenthood Action Fund. "We know what happens when politicians succeed in blocking women from getting care at Planned Parenthood: health centers will close and patients will have nowhere to turn. That's why we are rallying on Wednesday to protect our care. This is not a drill - people across America must speak out louder than ever."

"We stand with our friends in the progressive community against the disastrous Senate health care bill. Though we don't know the details-as it's being written in secret-we do know that this Health care bill would be devastating to women, children and families across the country. It would rip lifesaving healthcare away from our most vulnerable neighbors, slash access to the reproductive health care that allows all people to control their bodies and lives, and result in catastrophic financial pain to those already struggling to make ends meet. It's cruel and reveals our most base instincts as a nation," said Brian Dixon, Senior Vice President for Media and Government Relations, Population Connection Action Fund. "We can, and must, do better to ensure that good, affordable health care is a right, and not a privilege."

"Republican Senators are launching an assault on the health care of 23 million Americans, and they don't even have the courage to do it in broad daylight," said Valerie Ervin, Senior Adviser at Working Families Party. "We need every American to call their Senator and tell them to oppose this bill."

"What are Republican Senators hiding? Why can't they let the voices of their constituents speak out on a bill that will affect 1/6th of the economy and mean millions could lose coverage. The public deserves more than a group of all-male Senators writing a secret bill that will rip health care coverage from millions of Americans and jeopardize the well-being of their families and communities," explained Neera Tanden, President and CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund. "Folks from across the country are here today to have their voice heard in this important legislation, to demand transparency from their elected leaders and put an end to these secret negotiations."

"I'm a home care provider and I am here today to help save Medicaid because it's essential for the people I care for to afford cancer medication, to manage diabetes, to live at home with dignity and independence. Home care workers take care of our aging loved ones, our families members with disabilities, our children, and our neighbors," added Brenda Lozada, home care worker from Aurora, CO. "Republicans seem to only want to take care of special interests and wealthy CEOs."

"The GOP leaders in the Senate are secretly pushing through a bill that is ripping healthcare away from millions of Americans, driving up costs for families, and hurting children and the elderly, in order to give a tax cut to the wealthy. They know the American people hated the House Republicans' move to pass a similar bill, so the only way to get it done is by ramming through a secret bill and upending the basic rules of our democracy," said Randi Weingarten, AFT President. "We're here to shine a light on this underhanded effort to force through a catastrophic bill; we need to prevent Senate Republicans from returning us to a time when an American could be one pre-existing condition away from bankruptcy."

"13 Republican Senators are secretly writing a bill behind closed doors, that will affect millions of Americans," said Jimmy Dahman, Executive Director of the Town Hall Project. "None of those Senators have held a single town hall since the House passed its version of the bill weeks and weeks ago. The American people need to see this bill and they deserve the opportunity to weigh in."

"The American Health Care Act passed by the House and up for consideration in the Senate is a travesty. This dangerous legislation would repeal a health care law that has helped end discriminatory policies against women, people with disabilities, people of color, and LGBT people. Instead of strengthening our health care system, the bill will decimate Medicaid, endanger the lives and liberty of people with disabilities, cut off access to reproductive health care for millions who depend on Planned Parenthood, and leave 23 million Americans uninsured and fearful," concluded Faiz Shakir, National Political Director, ACLU. "Now more than ever we need politicians who are willing to put people over party, do the right thing, and oppose this repeal bill."