Leading up to Friday’s showdown vote on the GOP health care overhaul, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky took to the House floor to attack a bill she said would harm middle-aged Americans, the elderly and disabled, new mothers and women.
The Evanston Democrat singled out a provision in the bill that would defund Planned Parenthood.
“We’ve heard over and over that patients need choices and should be empowered to choose the care that they want, but apparently that doesn’t apply to women because the bill would block millions of women from choosing Planned Parenthood, a trusted provider to 2.5 million patients every year,” she said.
“The America people are not clamoring for you to repeal Obamacare,” Schakowsky said, addressing Republicans. “Only 17 percent of Americans say that you should vote to repeal Obamacare. The average American overwhelming wants you to vote no.”
A Quinnipiac University national poll released Thursday showed 56 percent of U.S. voters disapproved of the GOP health overhaul, while 17 percent were in favor. The remainder were undecided
Republicans who spoke in favor of their party’s American Health Care Act called it compromise bill that would lower costs and replace what some termed a “disastrous” Obamacare law that has failed to live up to its promises.
A vote was expected Friday afternoon.
Twitter: KatherineSkiba
