Whip Hoyer Speaks at SEIU Rally In Opposition to TrumpCare’s Medicaid Cuts

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) attended a rally today organized by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in opposition to TrumpCare’s cuts to Medicaid. Whip Hoyer thanked those gathered for working hard to build opposition to the bill, which Senate Republicans announced would not come to the Floor this week.

He also added a photo to SEIU’s community art project, which included photos of people who would be affected by TrumpCare’s Medicaid cuts.  Whip Hoyer added a photo of Marta Conner and her daughter Caroline, who suffers from a neurological disorder called Rett Syndrome. He interviewed Marta as part of TrumpCare Stories. Marta told Whip Hoyer that without Medicaid, it would be nearly impossible for herself or her husband to continue working while ensuring that Caroline has the medical care she requires.

“I wanted to come over and thank all of you,” Whip Hoyer told those gathered at the rally. “We have been successful thus far, but this is a day-to-day fight, hand-to-hand combat. These folks are so committed to hurting millions of people by eliminating the Medicaid expansion – that’s millions of people in and of itself. They’re doing a lot of other things that will undercut Medicaid and Medicare, threaten subsidies for people who need it and can’t afford all of their health care in terms of their co-pay, and eliminate premiums and tax credits. They’re looking for every way that they can undermine the Affordable Care Act… This is about whether we’re going to have a country that makes sure that people have access to affordable, quality health care. Period. That’s what this is about… This is about helping people.”

“No cuts. No caps to Medicaid,” continued Whip Hoyer. As he showed Marta and Caroline’s photo to the crowd, he noted, “Now, here is Marta Connor and her daughter Caroline. Caroline has Rhett syndrome. We need to make sure that Caroline is not exposed to not being insured, that Caroline can get the health care she needs so that she can survive, so she can live. It’s what you say here: ‘save Medicaid, save lives.’”