McEachin Urges McConnell, Senate GOP Not to Vote on Graham-Cassidy Bill
WASHINGTON – Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) joined Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) and 56 other Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urging Senate Republicans not to hold a vote on the Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill until the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) provides a score on the bill.
Congressman McEachin asked his colleagues in the Senate to refrain from voting on a healthcare bill that would “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act (ACA) without a score from the Congressional Budget Office—a nonpartisan office that provides objective analysis of legislation.
“Whether the Senate decides to move forward with this week’s version of the Graham-Cassidy bill, or last week’s version, they need to abstain from voting on Graham-Cassidy unless the CBO has had the opportunity to analyze this bill and carefully determine its full impact,” said Congressman Donald McEachin. “The health and well-being of Virginians – and all Americans – is far too important for rushed votes on poorly understood legislation.”
The Graham-Cassidy bill would cause families to lose insurance coverage, increase premiums, impose a tax on older Americans, and undermine protections for those with pre-existing conditions. By rushing straight to a vote without a CBO score, Republicans are trying to mask just how devastating this bill would be.
“It is worrisome that Senate Republican leadership would prevent the CBO from conducting a thorough and reliable analysis of major legislation regarding healthcare in this country,” wrote the Members of Congress. “Any legislation, particularly the new healthcare bill introduced by Senators Lindsey Graham, Bill Cassidy, Dean Heller, and Ron Johnson, which affects hundreds of millions of Americans and over one-sixth of our nation’s economy, should have its full impact evaluated and its cost analyzed. To proceed to vote on legislation without ample consideration would be to deny the American people the transparency and responsiveness they deserve from their Congress.”
Congressman McEachin previously opposed Republican attempts to pass the Better Care Reconciliation Act and the American Health Care Act.
Full letter text is available here and below.
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Contact: Jamitress Bowden
(202) 225-6365
Dear Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell,
We write to you with concern regarding reports that Senate Republicans, under your leadership, are planning to move forward on significant healthcare legislation without a complete score from the non-partisan and credible Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Any legislation, particularly the new healthcare bill introduced by Senators Lindsey Graham, Bill Cassidy, Dean Heller, and Ron Johnson, which affects hundreds of millions of Americans and over one-sixth of our nation’s economy, should have its full impact evaluated and its cost analyzed. To proceed to vote on legislation without ample consideration would be to deny the American people the transparency and responsiveness they deserve from their Congress.
As you know, following a dispute between President Nixon and Congress over spending authority, Congress passed the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which created the Congressional Budget Office. Since February 1975, Congress, the press, and the citizenry have relied on the non-partisan CBO to produce formal cost estimates for nearly every bill approved by a full committee in either chamber of Congress.
Hence, it is worrisome that Senate Republican leadership would prevent the CBO from conducting a thorough and reliable analysis of major legislation regarding healthcare in this country. Consequentially, we strongly urge you to allow the Congressional Budget Office to conduct a comprehensive and complete analysis of the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson healthcare bill and any major legislation that would have significant repercussions for millions of Americans’ healthcare. Finally, we also implore you to move this and any other significant healthcare legislation through the Senate in accordance with regular order to provide transparency and allow all Senators the opportunity to weigh in on behalf of their constituents, the American people.
Sincerely,