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Home · News

Police Drag Trumpcare Protesters In Wheelchairs Out Of Congress As Democratic Leaders Slam 'Heartless' Bill

A group of protesters -- some wheelchair-bound or wearing medical devices -- were dragged away by police outside of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office. 
Police Drag Trumpcare Protesters in Wheelchairs out of Congress as Democratic Leaders Slam ‘Heartless’ Bill
Getty Images
By Tierney McAfee · Updated October 26, 2020
4384485912001

This article originally appeared on People. 

Shortly after the release of the Senate Republican health care bill on Thursday, a group of protesters — some wheelchair-bound or wearing medical devices — were dragged away by police from the hallway outside of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office.

The protesters were members of the national disability rights group ADAPT, who said the controversial health care bill is a direct threat to people with disabilities.

“We are at @SenateMajLdr demanding he stop the attacks on Disabled people’s freedom with #AHCA,” the group wrote on its Twitter page, including a video from the protest that appeared to show police officers carrying away one of the wheelchair-bound protesters.

Other footage shows protesters being removed by police from their wheelchairs and dragged or carried away. The Washington Post reported that several people were arrested during the protest.

We are at @SenateMajLdr demanding he stop the attacks on Disabled people's freedom with #AHCA. #ADAPTandRESIST #NoC… https://t.co/B42G96LStA

— NationalADAPT (@NationalADAPT) June 22, 2017

Meanwhile, Sen. Chuck Schumer spoke out against the newly released Senate Republican health care bill on Thursday, calling the proposed legislation “heartless” and a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

“The way this bill cuts health care is heartless,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. “The president said the House bill was mean. The Senate bill may be meaner. The Senate Republican health care bill is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Only this wolf has even sharper teeth than the House bill.”

“It’s clear that Republicans know that cutting Medicaid will hurt so many people in the middle class, so many in my home state of New York,” Schumer continued. “Republicans know that people want essential health benefits, so they’ve created a disguise by saying these changes won’t occur for a year.”

Schumer was far from the only one to slam the bill. After the closely guarded legislation — which was written entirely behind closed doors — was finally unveiled on Thursday morning, a protest formed outside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office in the Capitol.

Protest outside of McConnell's office after release of Senate healthcare bill pic.twitter.com/FfALhh52Rd

— Vaughn Hillyard (@VaughnHillyard) June 22, 2017

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi also criticized the bill as a ruse, saying Thursday: This bill “is yet again a tax bill disguised as a health care bill. They need this in order to do their tax breaks for the high end to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars. It’s unfortunate.”

Many other critics and Democratic leaders took to Twitter to express their anger and frustration.

If you're waiting for the right moment to call your Senator about Trumpcare, the moment is now. Don't wait until it's too late. 202-224-3121

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 22, 2017

Minnesotans understand that the GOP health care bill will harm the well-being of millions of people in our state and across the country.

— U.S. Senator Al Franken (@SenFranken) June 22, 2017

Hi @SenateGOP,

We will fight #Trumpcare like our lives depend on it—because they do.

Signed,
All who believe health care is a human right

— Women's March (@womensmarch) June 22, 2017

It's just this simple:

The AHCA is a huge tax cut for the WEALTHY funded by GUTTING the United States health care system.

— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) June 22, 2017

Health care bill sounds like it'll turn U.S. into a giant hunger games. @GOP wants the poor and sick to die off to free up resources for 1%

— JW (@darkwavenyc) June 22, 2017

If you need treatment for opioid addiction, your plan may no longer cover it under #Trumpcare.

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 22, 2017

We live in the wealthiest country on Earth; surely we can do better than what the Republican #healthcarebill promises.

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 22, 2017

Schumer also tweeted out a message of warning about the bill, writing: “If you need treatment for opioid addiction, your plan may no longer cover it under #Trumpcare.”

“We live in the wealthiest country on Earth,” he added in a second tweet. “Surely we can do better than what the Republican #healthcarebill promises.”

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