As Senate Republicans attempt to ram through the American Health Care Act (AHCA), aka Trumpcare, without public hearings before the upcoming recess, Senate Democrats on Tuesday announced their intention to introduce the "No Hearing, Note Vote Act" bill in order to highlight the GOP's obfuscation.
"Senate Republicans’ attempts to pass Trumpcare in the dark of night, without any transparency is one of the most egregious examples of legislative malpractice in decades. Republicans have held zero committee hearings, solicited zero bipartisan support, and plan to allow zero public debate," declared Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) in a statement.
According to The Hill, the proposal "would require a bill being passed under reconciliation—the fast-track process being used to repeal and replace ObamaCare—be voted on by at least one committee and have had at least one hearing."
The #NoHearingNoVote Act would ensure that every American would have a chance to see what’s in #Trumpcare & debate it in the open.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 13, 2017
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), also backing the bill, said that if Republicans "can't defend [their] efforts to throw millions off health care to give huge tax breaks to the top 2%," they should just "give it up." In his tweet, Sanders highlighted the amount of debate the Affordable Care Act received versus what the GOP is now attempting to do with Trumpcare.
I say to Republicans: If you can’t defend your efforts to throw millions off health care to give huge tax breaks to the top 2%, give it up. pic.twitter.com/KExeCeAhAh
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 13, 2017
As voters were being urged to mobilize against Trumpcare generally, groups were also urging constituents to contact members of the Republican leadership to demand transparency.
#NoHearingNoVote Call the Republican Leadership NOW and demand transparency in the #healthcare process! 1-888-496-4842 pic.twitter.com/H1DDNJFy8N
— Elyssa (@ElyssaK) June 13, 2017
