The disability rights group ADAPT has led efforts to defeat several Republican attempts to repeal the ACA, including the Graham-Cassidy bill, which hundreds of members protested against on Monday. (Photo: MsKellyMHayes/Twitter)
Sep 25, 2017
More than 200 members of the disability rights group ADAPT forced lawmakers to delay their hearing on the latest Republican attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act on Monday. Protesters started lining up outside the hearing room in the Dirksen Senate Office Building at 6:00am; the hearing was not scheduled to begin until 2:00pm.
\u201cThe Graham-Cassidy hearing is the hottest ticket in town, in one video:\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506348391
Organizers estimated that about 100 people were arrested by Capitol Hill police, who had formed their own line outside the hearing room Monday morning.
\u201cStaggering # of Capitol Police now arriving on scene. Rows of officers cordon crowd\n\nActivist: "I hope there isn't any real crime somewhere"\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506358868
The national organization tweeted throughout the morning as protesters waited for the hearing to begin. Demonstrators had traveled from all over the country to demand that senators vote against the bill, which would end cost-sharing subsidies that make healthcare premiums affordable for lower-income Americans, and cut federal funds for states that expanded Medicaid under the ACA.
These would be replaced by block grants, which the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities has called "inadequate," adding at the bill "would cause many millions of people to lose coverage, radically restructure and deeply cut Medicaid, eliminate or weaken protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and increase out-of-pocket costs for individual market consumers."
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office was expected to release their analysis of the bill's economic impact Monday afternoon, but did not have time to determine the coverage losses that would result from the bill's passage, before the Senate's Saturday voting deadline. The Brookings Institution estimated that like Republicans' previous attempts to repeal the ACA, the Graham-Cassidy bill would eliminate coverage for 32 million Americans over the next decade.
The Senate Finance Committee hearing, led by chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and featuring testimonies by the bill's co-sponsors, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), was held to consider the bill along with changes made to it over the weekend, particularly extra funds that were included in the legislation for Maine, Alaska, Kentucky, Arizona, and Texas -- all states with senators who have expressed doubts about the proposal.
While waiting for the hearing room to open, protesters shared with reporters their reasons for protesting Graham-Cassidy.
\u201cAdapt activists from Wisconsin woke up at 430am today to get to Dirksen on time o\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506348175
\u201cI'm at the Capitol talking with people like Toni, who showed up to oppose Graham-Cassidy today. Hearing starts at 2pm. #Trumpcare\u201d— Puff the Magic Hater \ud83e\udda3 (@Puff the Magic Hater \ud83e\udda3) 1506353939
\u201c"I'd rather go to jail than die in a nursing home." #GrahamCassidy #Trumpcare\u201d— Puff the Magic Hater \ud83e\udda3 (@Puff the Magic Hater \ud83e\udda3) 1506353939
ADAPT reported shortly before the hearing's scheduled start time that police were not allowing people in wheelchairs into the hearing room.
\u201cOver 200 disabled people got up at 4:30 to be here for this life and death hearing and only 7 are allowed in. #ADAPTandRESIST\u201d— American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (@American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today) 1506361300
\u201cProtests chants erupting in Dirksen outside hearing as activists (I think) are learning how few will get in\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506361077
Hatch delayed the hearing as dozens of protesters entered the room, and Capitol police officers began arresting people. Amid the pandemonium, Cassidy was seen yawning.
\u201cBill Cassidy is literally yawning as protestors are carried away.\u201d— Matt Fuller (@Matt Fuller) 1506363510
\u201cYou know, like I said, @NationalADAPT doesn't fuck around\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506362887
\u201cDavid Wittie of Texas says he's been charged w/ "Interfering w/ a police officer" - which "means I was blocking door" as PD made arrests\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506364943
\u201cI've been covering health care activism from day one and this is a sight that is still hard to make sense of\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506362343
\u201cThis is Colleen of ADAPT.\n\nI have no idea what this country is supposed to be\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506362343
As news of the arrests spread, many expressed support for ADAPT on social media.
\u201cSo proud of all #ADAPTandRESIST protesters. It takes a specific kind of disgusting to ignore disabled people on healthcare. Listen to them.\u201d— rat pagan (@rat pagan) 1506374243
\u201cGrateful for these health justice heroes! Senators against #GrahamCassidy must help drop charges for #ADAPTandRESIST speaking truth to power https://t.co/ZcjMXhMfc3\u201d— Dr America \u270a\ud83c\udffd (@Dr America \u270a\ud83c\udffd) 1506372492
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More than 200 members of the disability rights group ADAPT forced lawmakers to delay their hearing on the latest Republican attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act on Monday. Protesters started lining up outside the hearing room in the Dirksen Senate Office Building at 6:00am; the hearing was not scheduled to begin until 2:00pm.
\u201cThe Graham-Cassidy hearing is the hottest ticket in town, in one video:\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506348391
Organizers estimated that about 100 people were arrested by Capitol Hill police, who had formed their own line outside the hearing room Monday morning.
\u201cStaggering # of Capitol Police now arriving on scene. Rows of officers cordon crowd\n\nActivist: "I hope there isn't any real crime somewhere"\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506358868
The national organization tweeted throughout the morning as protesters waited for the hearing to begin. Demonstrators had traveled from all over the country to demand that senators vote against the bill, which would end cost-sharing subsidies that make healthcare premiums affordable for lower-income Americans, and cut federal funds for states that expanded Medicaid under the ACA.
These would be replaced by block grants, which the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities has called "inadequate," adding at the bill "would cause many millions of people to lose coverage, radically restructure and deeply cut Medicaid, eliminate or weaken protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and increase out-of-pocket costs for individual market consumers."
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office was expected to release their analysis of the bill's economic impact Monday afternoon, but did not have time to determine the coverage losses that would result from the bill's passage, before the Senate's Saturday voting deadline. The Brookings Institution estimated that like Republicans' previous attempts to repeal the ACA, the Graham-Cassidy bill would eliminate coverage for 32 million Americans over the next decade.
The Senate Finance Committee hearing, led by chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and featuring testimonies by the bill's co-sponsors, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), was held to consider the bill along with changes made to it over the weekend, particularly extra funds that were included in the legislation for Maine, Alaska, Kentucky, Arizona, and Texas -- all states with senators who have expressed doubts about the proposal.
While waiting for the hearing room to open, protesters shared with reporters their reasons for protesting Graham-Cassidy.
\u201cAdapt activists from Wisconsin woke up at 430am today to get to Dirksen on time o\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506348175
\u201cI'm at the Capitol talking with people like Toni, who showed up to oppose Graham-Cassidy today. Hearing starts at 2pm. #Trumpcare\u201d— Puff the Magic Hater \ud83e\udda3 (@Puff the Magic Hater \ud83e\udda3) 1506353939
\u201c"I'd rather go to jail than die in a nursing home." #GrahamCassidy #Trumpcare\u201d— Puff the Magic Hater \ud83e\udda3 (@Puff the Magic Hater \ud83e\udda3) 1506353939
ADAPT reported shortly before the hearing's scheduled start time that police were not allowing people in wheelchairs into the hearing room.
\u201cOver 200 disabled people got up at 4:30 to be here for this life and death hearing and only 7 are allowed in. #ADAPTandRESIST\u201d— American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (@American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today) 1506361300
\u201cProtests chants erupting in Dirksen outside hearing as activists (I think) are learning how few will get in\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506361077
Hatch delayed the hearing as dozens of protesters entered the room, and Capitol police officers began arresting people. Amid the pandemonium, Cassidy was seen yawning.
\u201cBill Cassidy is literally yawning as protestors are carried away.\u201d— Matt Fuller (@Matt Fuller) 1506363510
\u201cYou know, like I said, @NationalADAPT doesn't fuck around\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506362887
\u201cDavid Wittie of Texas says he's been charged w/ "Interfering w/ a police officer" - which "means I was blocking door" as PD made arrests\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506364943
\u201cI've been covering health care activism from day one and this is a sight that is still hard to make sense of\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506362343
\u201cThis is Colleen of ADAPT.\n\nI have no idea what this country is supposed to be\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506362343
As news of the arrests spread, many expressed support for ADAPT on social media.
\u201cSo proud of all #ADAPTandRESIST protesters. It takes a specific kind of disgusting to ignore disabled people on healthcare. Listen to them.\u201d— rat pagan (@rat pagan) 1506374243
\u201cGrateful for these health justice heroes! Senators against #GrahamCassidy must help drop charges for #ADAPTandRESIST speaking truth to power https://t.co/ZcjMXhMfc3\u201d— Dr America \u270a\ud83c\udffd (@Dr America \u270a\ud83c\udffd) 1506372492
More than 200 members of the disability rights group ADAPT forced lawmakers to delay their hearing on the latest Republican attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act on Monday. Protesters started lining up outside the hearing room in the Dirksen Senate Office Building at 6:00am; the hearing was not scheduled to begin until 2:00pm.
\u201cThe Graham-Cassidy hearing is the hottest ticket in town, in one video:\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506348391
Organizers estimated that about 100 people were arrested by Capitol Hill police, who had formed their own line outside the hearing room Monday morning.
\u201cStaggering # of Capitol Police now arriving on scene. Rows of officers cordon crowd\n\nActivist: "I hope there isn't any real crime somewhere"\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506358868
The national organization tweeted throughout the morning as protesters waited for the hearing to begin. Demonstrators had traveled from all over the country to demand that senators vote against the bill, which would end cost-sharing subsidies that make healthcare premiums affordable for lower-income Americans, and cut federal funds for states that expanded Medicaid under the ACA.
These would be replaced by block grants, which the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities has called "inadequate," adding at the bill "would cause many millions of people to lose coverage, radically restructure and deeply cut Medicaid, eliminate or weaken protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and increase out-of-pocket costs for individual market consumers."
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office was expected to release their analysis of the bill's economic impact Monday afternoon, but did not have time to determine the coverage losses that would result from the bill's passage, before the Senate's Saturday voting deadline. The Brookings Institution estimated that like Republicans' previous attempts to repeal the ACA, the Graham-Cassidy bill would eliminate coverage for 32 million Americans over the next decade.
The Senate Finance Committee hearing, led by chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and featuring testimonies by the bill's co-sponsors, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), was held to consider the bill along with changes made to it over the weekend, particularly extra funds that were included in the legislation for Maine, Alaska, Kentucky, Arizona, and Texas -- all states with senators who have expressed doubts about the proposal.
While waiting for the hearing room to open, protesters shared with reporters their reasons for protesting Graham-Cassidy.
\u201cAdapt activists from Wisconsin woke up at 430am today to get to Dirksen on time o\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506348175
\u201cI'm at the Capitol talking with people like Toni, who showed up to oppose Graham-Cassidy today. Hearing starts at 2pm. #Trumpcare\u201d— Puff the Magic Hater \ud83e\udda3 (@Puff the Magic Hater \ud83e\udda3) 1506353939
\u201c"I'd rather go to jail than die in a nursing home." #GrahamCassidy #Trumpcare\u201d— Puff the Magic Hater \ud83e\udda3 (@Puff the Magic Hater \ud83e\udda3) 1506353939
ADAPT reported shortly before the hearing's scheduled start time that police were not allowing people in wheelchairs into the hearing room.
\u201cOver 200 disabled people got up at 4:30 to be here for this life and death hearing and only 7 are allowed in. #ADAPTandRESIST\u201d— American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (@American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today) 1506361300
\u201cProtests chants erupting in Dirksen outside hearing as activists (I think) are learning how few will get in\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506361077
Hatch delayed the hearing as dozens of protesters entered the room, and Capitol police officers began arresting people. Amid the pandemonium, Cassidy was seen yawning.
\u201cBill Cassidy is literally yawning as protestors are carried away.\u201d— Matt Fuller (@Matt Fuller) 1506363510
\u201cYou know, like I said, @NationalADAPT doesn't fuck around\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506362887
\u201cDavid Wittie of Texas says he's been charged w/ "Interfering w/ a police officer" - which "means I was blocking door" as PD made arrests\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506364943
\u201cI've been covering health care activism from day one and this is a sight that is still hard to make sense of\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506362343
\u201cThis is Colleen of ADAPT.\n\nI have no idea what this country is supposed to be\u201d— Jeff Stein (@Jeff Stein) 1506362343
As news of the arrests spread, many expressed support for ADAPT on social media.
\u201cSo proud of all #ADAPTandRESIST protesters. It takes a specific kind of disgusting to ignore disabled people on healthcare. Listen to them.\u201d— rat pagan (@rat pagan) 1506374243
\u201cGrateful for these health justice heroes! Senators against #GrahamCassidy must help drop charges for #ADAPTandRESIST speaking truth to power https://t.co/ZcjMXhMfc3\u201d— Dr America \u270a\ud83c\udffd (@Dr America \u270a\ud83c\udffd) 1506372492
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