Republican Members Hear from Obamacare Supporters
Democrats hold rallies to defend Obama’s signature law
Republican members of Congress heard from constituents supportive of the Affordable Care Act over the three-day Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend as they take steps to repeal the law.
Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., saw hundreds of people at a constituent meeting event at a library in Aurora, according to one eyewitness account to 9News.
“We were under the understanding it was a town hall meeting and they were only allowing four people in at a time,” Kronda Seibert told 9News.
Coffman said on his Facebook page that “partisan activists” disrupted the event.
Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy told a town hall meeting in Chippewa that an expiration date for the law would be included in the repeal to give Congress time to come up with a replacement, according to the Chippewa Herald.
In Wisconsin, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner told a gathering in Oconomowoc that was not ready to say what he would accept as a replacement to the Affordable Care Act, but he got a harsh reception when he said health care isn’t a right in the Constitution.
“I’m sorry, health care is not one of them,” he said, Wisconsin Public Radio reported.
His House colleague Rep. Gwen Moore, was one of many Democrats across the country rallying support for President Barack Obama’s signature law days before he leaves office.
“I don’t care who you are, your health care is in jeopardy under this plan,” Moore said according, to WPR.
In nearby Janesville, Speaker Paul D. Ryan‘s hometown, Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan told a rally there needed to be a viable replacement if Republicans were to replace the law, according to GazetteXtra.
Massachusetts Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey were joined by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh at a rally at Faneuil Hall in Boston.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer rallied in Warren, Mich., with the state’s Democratic Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters.