Congressman Joe Kennedy III started Wednesday night off by slamming Paul Ryan. The Republican House speaker had called the repeal of Obamacare/ACA an “act of mercy” for the people. Kennedy went on to edify Ryan on what mercy looks like. Later into the eveniyng, after pointing to Page 8 in the new proposed bill, Kennedy forced a GOP attorney to admit there was a major mental health exclusion showing no federal funding of mental health benefits. More to come on that.
Around 2:20 AM Thursday morning, Joe Kennedy was still on that ‘same roll,’ obviously somewhat fatigued, and all the more intent to get his points across. In the Facebook video below, Kennedy makes one of the best defenses against defunding for Planned Parenthood yet. He starts off talking about how he witnessed hundreds and hundreds of men, women and children in his state weather a windchill factors near below zero, get out in near zero degree weather to rally for their healthcare last week. Then he speaks about the seven Planned Parenthood clinics in Massachusetts — which roughly serve 33,000 people every year.
I’m a bit concerned with the logic … There is no doubt, obviously, that if this plan is enacted, that there are going to be hospitals all over the country that receive federal funding for hospital services. Those hospitals will also provide abortions … Under the logic that you laid out, saying that any organization that provides any abortion services shouldn’t get any federal funding, is it the intent of this bill to strip all funding from every hospital, and any doctor’s office that might provide that consultation?
One can see where Kennedy is going with this. The young congressman then brings up a doctor who advised him, with plenty of data to back it up, that health centers are already taxed with access issues and there are studies out there that say they could not meet an increased demand if Planned Parenthood services shut down. So if low-income people cannot get services from Planned Parenthood or through Medicaid, Kennedy asks:
Where are you supposed to get them? How is that supposed to happen? And how can we say that that is not a small problem when we also sit there and hear that people are so passionate about women’s health?
Without as much as an official hearing, he says the bill will impact far more people than what is evident in the proposal in front of him — and the impact will be “devastating.”
Take a look:
I have to say that I think it’s pretty unfair that the people of Massachusetts get to have Sen. Elizabeth Warren representing them in the Senate, and Rep. Joe Kennedy in the House. How about sharing some of the wealth in candy apple red states? :) Cheers to the voters in Massachusetts for enriching our Congress. And thank you, again, to Joe Kennedy. You have our attention.
Meanwhile this is one of the most heinous moves by the GOP. The Resistance needs to be louder and stronger than ever. This healthcare-not bill that is being rammed through is most assuredly part of the chaos Trump is using to divert attention from his Russian ties and acts of treason. Just keep everybody frazzled and maybe we’ll move on. Well, we won’t move on.
Per Daily Kos community member jmbar2 — “Kudos to the Democrats who fought for our healthcare in last night’s ‘all-nighter’” The fight if far from over.
Related:
Rep. Joe Kennedy III slams Paul Ryan on ACA repeal—then forces GOP lawyer to admit major exclusion
Boom. Kennedy strikes again—educates GOP on what defunding Planned Parenthood would
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issues warning of legal action if Trumpcare is signed into law
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Joe Kennedy III Lays Out The Trump-Russian Collusion Corruption In 3 Minutes: 'Raise Your Voices!'