The Senate will vote as soon as Wednesday on a discharge petition forced by Democrat Tammy Baldwin to overturn the Trump administration's new rule allowing the sale of junk insurance plans that will undermine health coverage and leave people with pre-existing conditions uninsured.
The administration rule expands what had been short-term, catastrophic insurance plans allowed under the Affordable Care Act for a maximum of three months. Intended just to be stop-gap plans for people changing jobs or going through other life changes that would leave them temporarily uninsured, the plans don't have to comply with the requirements under the law and insurers offering them can deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.
"Anyone who says they support health care coverage for people with pre-existing conditions should support this resolution," said Baldwin. "This is an opportunity for Democrats and Republicans to protect people’s access to quality, affordable health care when they need it most." It sure is an opportunity for those Republicans who have been insisting that they want to protect everyone's health care to put their votes where their mouths are.
All 49 Democrats are supporting the bill, so it just needs two GOP votes to pass. This really puts—guess who!—on the spot: yup, Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, the two Republicans who voted against Obamacare repeal last year. One of the two really needs to do some damage control after the farcical spectacle she made of herself during the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation fight. Yes, that would be Susan Collins. For old time's sake, why don't all you Mainers give her a call?
If the vote succeeds, Republicans are screwed because it's a big loss to them and to Trump on health care. If the vote fails, though, they're also screwed because then Democrats have the opportunity to keep hammering them all through the election on an issue that remains one of the top concerns for voters going to the polls just one month from today.
Please give $1 today to each of these fantastic Democrats fighting to win back the Senate!