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The Republican rank-and-file in the Senate are not aware of what they're reportedly going to be voting on soon in Mitch McConnell's Trumpcare bill. McConnell's reluctance to release the bill to the public apparently extends to his own members.
While there have been thrice-weekly meetings on the legislation to repeal and replace the 2010 health care law, those have mostly focused on broad policy. And while complete legislative text has not yet been drafted, leadership has begun initial conversations with the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on several proposals.
But GOP senators say they do not know what those are.
"While I haven't seen the language, I am hoping that it stays within the confines of what we've discussed within the caucus," Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa told Roll Call.
That echoes comments from other Republican members, like Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Ted Cruz of Texas and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.
Johnson said he is "curious" what will be in the bill, before telling reporters "it's not a good process." Cassidy also said he was "not confident" in the process so far.
"As we go along, we hear more and more details as to what's being considered and so this week I do expect to hear more details," he said on Monday.
Does this mean they're providing any opposition to McConnell? As if. Once again, this is not a normal thing. This is not how major legislation affecting a huge sector of the economy is supposed to be handled. No hearings, no public transparency, no concern about getting the input and support of stakeholders, no concern for what 48 percent of the Senate might have to say about it.
Republican senators seem to be willing to go along with this, as they have on every one of McConnell's efforts to undermine the Senate and our representative democracy. Democratic senators shouldn't be.
Call your Democratic senator/s through the Capitol switchboard, 202-224-3121 and at their local offices and tell them you expect them to do everything in their power to make passing Trumpcare as painful as possible for Mitch McConnell and team.