Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin took to the floor of the U.S. Senate last night to criticize the secrecy and partisanship with which Congressional Republicans are handling a potential new healthcare bill.
Baldwin, the only openly LGBTQ person ever elected to the Senate, brought the stories of concerned constituents to the floor during her late-night speech. She also told her own story about growing up without health insurance because of the “scarlet letter” of a pre-existing condition.
Baldwin said she felt concerned, anguished and disgusted by the fact that legislation that could cause some of her constituents to lose their healthcare is being drafted behind closed doors.
“It’s not right, it’s not fair, and it’s not who we are,” Baldwin said on the Senate floor. “It’s time to stop this partisan nonsense. The people of Wisconsin did not send me to the United States Senate to take people’s healthcare away. They sent me to fight.”
Baldwin said she and her fellow Senate Democrats would continue to elevate the voices of American families “who will be left behind” by efforts to disrupt health insurance coverage.
“Clearly, Republicans have a majority in the House,” Baldwin said on MSNBC after she delivered her speech. “They have a majority in the Senate. There’s a Republican in the White House. But we are not going to give up.”
