“This Is It”: In Final Hours of Trumpcare Debate, Murray Stands United with Planned Parenthood Providers, Patients

At rally with Planned Parenthood, coalition partners, Murray says “I am going to keep up the fight on the Senate floor” until very end

ICYMI: “There’s no way to replace Planned Parenthood”—LINK

Murray: “Everything we’ve fought for over the last decade, to advance women’s health and rights is at stake in this Trumpcare fight”

(Washington, D.C.)  – Facing defeat after defeat on each of their plans to rip apart the health care system, today Senate Republican leaders seemed poised to try and pass any bill in order to go to conference with House Republicans, empowering extreme conservatives to join with President Trump and get Trumpcare signed into law. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), top Democrat on the Senate HELP Committee, joined with Planned Parenthood and women’s health advocates to encourage women and patients to do everything they can in the final hours of the debate to stop Trumpcare.

In her remarks, Murray underscored the urgency of the situation, saying “everything we’ve fought for over the last decade, to advance women’s health and rights is at stake in this Trumpcare fight.”

Key excerpts from Sen. Murray’s remarks:

“Planned Parenthood…I need you to join me and send a message—loud and clear—to President Trump, Mitch McConnell, every single Senate Republican playing politics with your health care, your rights, and your lives…Let’s not forget they never wanted to hear your voices, your concerns, or your priorities; all along, they’ve kept women out of the process; and right now, they’re using every trick in the book to try and confuse you and keep you in the dark about their plans. They didn’t want to hear from you—make sure they do now.”

“Planned Parenthood, this is it. All your calls, tweets, and advocacy comes down to these next few hours. In fact, everything we’ve fought for over the last decade, to advance women’s health and rights is at stake in this Trumpcare fight. And we can’t go backward. We can’t go back to the days when women could be denied care due to so-called pre-existing conditions, like pregnancy or being a victim of domestic violence; when women could be legally discriminated against and charged more for their care; when the insurance companies had all the leverage—and too often, it was women who paid the price.”

“We cannot let that happen. So, in these next few hours, I am going to keep up the fight on the Senate floor. And I need all of you to keep up the fight outside. Together, we need to keep standing up and speaking out for those who can’t…Let’s keep fighting. Let’s keep showing up. Let’s kill this bill. And together, let’s end Trumpcare once and for all.”

Full text of Sen. Murray’s remarks:

“Planned Parenthood, listen up. I need you to get loud tonight. 

I need you to join me and send a message—loud and clear—to President Trump, Mitch McConnell, every single Senate Republican playing politics with your health care, your rights, and your lives.  

Because let’s not forget.

Let’s not forget they never wanted to hear your voices, your concerns, or your priorities; all along, they’ve kept women out of the process; and right now, they’re using every trick in the book to try and confuse you and keep you in the dark about their plans. 

They didn’t want to hear from you—make sure they do now.

So Planned Parenthood, are you in this fight? I want to hear it loud.

Are we giving up? That’s right.

Planned Parenthood, this is it.

All your calls, tweets, and advocacy comes down to these next few hours.

In fact, everything we’ve fought for over the last decade, to advance women’s health and rights is at stake in this Trumpcare fight.

And we can’t go backward.

We can’t go back to the days when women could be denied care due to so-called pre-existing conditions, like pregnancy or being a victim of domestic violence; when women could be legally discriminated against and charged more for their care; when the insurance companies had all the leverage—and too often, it was women who paid the price.

We cannot let that happen.

So, in these next few hours, I am going to keep up the fight on the Senate floor.

And I need all of you to keep up the fight outside.

Together, we need to keep standing up and speaking out for those who can’t. 

For the mom who told me in tears that she did everything right—went to grad school, got a good paying job, saved up—but can’t afford care for her child who has a complex medical condition.

The dad who beat back opioid addiction, today manages his own grocery store, but worries that if he were to lose Medicaid—and were to fall back into addiction—who would look out for his two daughters.

The recent graduate who has her whole life ahead of her, is just now charting her own path, but still worries about losing her right to decide if, and when, to start a family.

And the child who has a life-threatening, chronic illness, but still dreams of going to school, making friends, and growing up. 

Planned Parenthood, that’s what this fight has been all about—that’s who we’ve been fighting for—and so we can’t let up, not for a second.

Let’s keep fighting. Let’s keep showing up. Let’s kill this bill.

And together, let’s end Trumpcare once and for all.”

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