Tennessee – Democrats from five counties in Tennessee held press conferences on June 16, 2017 to call out Senator Corker and Senator Alexander for the secretive process of the US Senate health care bill and the devastating impact the Republican AHCA, passed by the US House of Representatives would have in Tennessee.
Shelby County
VIDEO LINK: https://www.facebook.com/tndem/posts/10155160171060831
“Our US Senators, Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander are not listening. They are not available, and they are not accountable. Back in 2009, Senator Corker loved to hold a lot of town halls on healthcare, he said they were a great thing. Now he is not hosting any town halls,” said London Lamar, president of the Tennessee Young Democrats.
“We are talking about the lives of citizens in the state of Tennessee. I implore our elected representatives and senators make sure they listen to the citizens of the Tennessee.” – Rep. Antonio Parkinson
Rutherford County
VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/WHS6fLoXBhQ
“We are calling on Senator Corker and Senator Alexander to be accountable to Tennesseans. They are not available and they are not transparent. They are participating in negotiating the healthcare bill in secret, and we think that is wrong,” said Matt Ferry, chair of the Rutherford County Democratic Party.
“If the rumors are true,” Clemmons said, “and the federal government uses block grants or otherwise shifts the ultimate burden of enacting responsible health care policy to the states, we should all be deeply and gravely concerned. There has been a clear pattern of failures and an overall lack of compassion and concern for Tennessee families demonstrated by the Haslam administration and its republican supermajority in the state legislature.”
Knox County and Blount County
VIDEO LINK: https://www.facebook.com/tndem/posts/10155160568420831
“Senate Republicans are officially fast tracking a partisan health care bill for a vote later this month without any hearing or public input, and are refusing to release the bill prior to the vote because they want to hide the deep harm this would do to millions of Americans health care.” – Emily Gregg, chair of the Knox County Democratic Party
“We have tried to get our Senators to come to Maryville College and talk with students, but the last time Senator Corker was in town was for a fundraiser. Senator Corker and and Senator Alexander, you are up in DC talking with each other and lobbyist, we are pleading for you to come talk to us.” – Will Winters, student at Maryville College.
Hamilton County
COVERAGE: https://www.chattanoogan.com/2017/6/16/349940/County-Democratic-Party-Concerned-About.aspx
“We really need to come together, not look at this as a partisan issue, but understand that some of the changes that are being recommended, and understand that it’s not transparent. We can’t even respond effectively because we don’t know what is being proposed,” said Rep. JoAnne Favors.
“Repealing protections for patients with pre-existing conditions is one of the most unnerving aspects of the new healthcare plan. This has the potential to make it very difficult for working families to access the care they need to live decent lives.” – Khristy Wilkinson, chair of the Hamilton County Democratic Party
