Kentuckians to call out Senator McConnell on health care with round-the-clock online hearing

U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell refuses to have a public hearing on the GOP’s health care bill. So his constituents in Kentucky are doing his job for him.

The People’s Emergency Health Care Hearing will take place online for 25 hours beginning Sunday (June 25) at 4 p.m. ET. Hosted by Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, a grassroots social justice organization, the hearing will feature scores of Kentuckians talking about the benefits of quality health care and the impacts of McConnell’s bill on the lives of real Kentuckians.

“We are Kentuckians. We cannot sit by while affordable, quality health care for all people is on the chopping block. If the Senate goes along with Senator McConnell’s plan, tens of millions of people, including nearly 500,000 Kentuckians, could lose life-giving health care,” said Elizabeth Sanders, KFTC’s chairperson. “That’s unacceptable, unnecessary and wrong. We can do so much better. We have got to do so much better.

“That’s why Kentuckians For The Commonwealth organized this 24-hour People’s Emergency Health Care Hearing. Life-and-death decisions about health care should not be made in the dark, in secret, without public input. Our voices must be heard.”

The emergency hearing will be streamed on KFTC’s Facebook site. Each hour will be hosted by a KFTC member and will feature a panel of guests, including people who benefit from quality and affordable health care, health professionals and advocates, and elected officials. Some segments will spotlight a specific region of the state, including northern Kentucky, Louisville, southern Kentucky, western Kentucky, Lexington and eastern Kentucky. Other hours will focus on specific themes, including addiction recovery and mental health issues; health issues affecting miners and their families; and health care and racial justice. There also will be hours featuring new moms, artists and musicians, and youth from across Kentucky. A full schedule will be posted on KFTC’s Facebook site by Sunday.

“This action is a way for Kentuckians to call out Senator McConnell for the harm he’s doing to our families and communities, urge Senator Paul to vote no on the AHCA, and encourage senators in other parts of the country to oppose the bill,” explained Jeanie Smith, a KFTC member from Bowling Green.

“Members of KFTC are determined to do everything we can to stop this bill while building a powerful movement to improve the politics and policies in our state. And regardless of the outcome, we’ll keep organizing to win solutions like universal health care that would greatly improve the quality of life for our families and communities.”

KFTC will direct people to hearourhealth.org to learn more and take action.

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