It’s hard to find much of anyone on board with the Senate’s health care bill. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced this afternoon that he was putting off a vote scheduled for this week until after the July 4 recess. On the heels of that announcement, governors as well as the National League of Cities released statements against the bill as it stands.
Yesterday, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) scored the bill, finding that it would leave 22 million Americans uninsured by 2026.
Ohio Governor John Kasich and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper called on Republicans to work with Democrats on a bipartisan re-write of the bill, although it seems unlikely that the two sides will come to any sort of agreement. McConnell is facing opposition to the bill from members of his own party in addition to total opposition from Democrats.
The National League of Cities called the health care bill an “unfunded manadate” that cities can’t afford.
National League of Cities (NLC) President Matt Zone, councilmember, Cleveland, released the following statement:
“This week, city leaders sent a clear message to Congress: You can’t fix the American health care system by sticking local governments with the bill. The Better Care Reconciliation Act threatens the wellbeing of millions of Americans by reducing their access to health care — whether in our nation’s urban centers or throughout small-town America — leaving millions uninsured and decimating the programs that help families stay healthy in our communities.
“If the federal government pulls back on its commitment to health care, the burden of providing care will fall to cities, counties, states and local providers. Neither local governments nor everyday Americans have the resources to absorb an unfunded mandate of this magnitude.
“We urge the Senate to stand with cities and take this opportunity to work toward a health care system that promotes strong healthy communities without placing the financial burden on local governments.”
