Menendez Demands Transparency in Secret GOP Healthcare Repeal Process
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"M. President, I come to the floor, like many of my colleagues, shocked at the Republican majority's brazen, secretive effort to hijack the legislative process and pass a bill that will hurt millions of Americans. Now, I've served in public office for more than four decades and never once in my 45 years as a mayor, a state legislator, a Congressman or a Senator has it been so hard to understand the motivations of an opposing party.
"What kind of problems are
"There's only one place in America where these bad ideas have any traction. And that's behind closed doors here in
"And these are the same
"Mind you, all of these complaints came during what was a far more open, transparent process! I sit on the
"And afterwards, we held the longest
"Then - and only then - did we bring the bill to the floor. And when we did, we spent 25 consecutive days in session, debating the bill on the
"They never cared about expanding access to care, or reducing prescription drug costs for seniors, or making insurance affordable. They didn't work with us then. And they aren't working with us now.
"Behind closed doors, 13 Republican men are debating just how many millions of Americans will lose their coverage under this bill - is it 23 million? Is it 20 million? 16 million? Behind closed doors, they're discussing just how high the age-tax should be on middle-aged workers -
"It's easy to see why
"I was glad that most of my
"Every day, New Jerseyans are reaching out to tell me what's at stake in this debate and what this secretive effort will mean for their health and their financial security. Take Dr.
"Of course, my Republican colleagues like to say their plan will give Americans more choice. But if all the choices are unaffordable, what good are they? What good is it to have more choices if you can't afford any of them? What good is insurance if the moment I get sick, it's not there when I need it. They also say their plan will give states more choice over how to run Medicaid. But when you cut Medicaid by
"All told,
"If only they had the courage that so many New Jerseyans have shown me in recent weeks as I've toured our state. Hardworking Americans who've been willing to share their personal health care stories. People like
"I also met with
"I also want to know how my Republican colleagues can reconcile their concern with the opioid epidemic with their plan to end the Medicaid expansion that's saving so many lives. Just yesterday, I received an email from Irene in
"This bill leaves millions of low-income Americans who depend on Medicaid expansion with no options at all. And for what? To give health insurance executives, real estate moguls, and hedge fund managers a massive tax cut they don't need? If there was ever such a thing as class warfare, this is it!
"In my home state of
"Many of us thought that the cruel legislation
"The notion the
"What really boggles my mind - what I just can't understand - is that there's no shortage of problems in our health care system, real problems that need real solutions. Ask anyone, and I mean anyone, about our health care system and I guarantee you will get an earful about what's wrong it. You'll hear from parents about deductibles that are too high, from workers about how hard it is to find in-network doctors, from seniors about generic drugs that suddenly cost thousands of dollars.
"And police officers about the opioid crisis tearing apart our communities, and hospital staff concerned about the nursing shortage, and business owners - like the group from
"Imagine, just for a moment, how thrilled Americans would be if
"For seven years, my Republican colleagues put politics over policy. For seven years, they demonized 'Obamacare' with no substance behind their rhetoric. Now, their poll-tested platitudes have caught up to them. And they know it. That's why they've let 13 Senators who represent less than a quarter of the country meet behind closed doors. And that's why they hope to keep this bill a secret until the very last minute.
"So today I come to the floor today with a message to my Republican colleagues. If you want to have a debate about how to improve our health care system, about how to help more families get covered, about how to lower costs and create a healthier, more productive nation - these are issues that
"That's because
Despite all of the positive steps forward, despite all the good the Affordable Care Act did,
But before we can make our health care system better, we must stop
The only way we can move forward is by working together. With bipartisan input. With open debate. With full transparency. And in full view of the Americans we were elected to serve. They deserve a lot more than what they are getting from the Majority in this mean bill. If there's anything I agree on with
Read this original document at: https://www.menendez.senate.gov/news-and-events/press/video-menendez-demands-transparency-in-secret-gop-healthcare-repeal-process
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