Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) uses two words to characterize the Senate GOP’s proposed health care bill in an essay for Lenny Letter: “hot mess.”
According to the CBO, the new health care bill would lead to 22 million losing care over the next 10 years. It would also cut Medicaid and defund Planned Parenthood. As Sen. Harris points out in her essay, these cuts could significantly impact access to substance abuse treatment, birth control coverage and maternity care.
Her essay, featured in Lenny Letter’s June 27 newsletter, outlines how like-minded Americans can “speak up and speak out” to urge their elected officials to oppose the bill.
If your senator currently opposes the health care bill...
Sen. Harris suggests thanking your senator, and then turning your attention to people you know and love in states that are represented by senators who haven’t decided where they stand.
“If your senator opposes the bill, thank them and ask them to continue doing everything possible to stop it. Reach out to friends in states with senators who are still on the fence,” Harris wrote. “Maybe even have some tough conversations with friends or family members who oppose the bill about the actions they should take to make sure it gets defeated.”
If your senator supports the health care bill...
Tell your story!
“Explain how this bill will impact you or your loved ones,” Sen. Harris wrote. “Tell your story. Tell them that if they vote for people to lose their health care, they should — and will — lose their jobs.”
Harris’ last bit of advice? “Be persistent, be passionate, and be persuasive.”
Ultimately, Harris argues, the important thing is to get involved.
“Join the fight. Make your voices heard. Because this is not a drill,” Harris wrote. “This week, we have a chance to defeat [the GOP bill] again. And every one of us needs to speak up and speak out.”
Head over to Lenny Letter to read Harris’ full essay.
