As American politics has arguably taken on a new lease of energy following Trump’s election, it’s hard to know what we should be paying attention to and what really is just “fake news”. Never fear, US politics enthusiast Rebecca Shearer is here with TrumpWatch, a new series that will summarise the main events from the US each week. Here are the top three things you need to know about this week:
The Healthcare Bill
Last month the House of Representatives narrowly passed its draft of the controversial bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, or so-called Obamacare. 216 votes were required in order for the bill to pass, for which 217 Republicans voted in favour and 20 opposed (along with the Democrats).
On Thursday the Senate released its “secret” draft of the bill ahead of its vote next week. Changes include new restrictions that will make it more difficult for women to get an abortion, as well as some drastic cuts to Medicaid, which will see the government’s programme that subsidises healthcare for the poor phased out by the year 2024.
All Republican senators, bar two, need to vote for the bill in order for it to pass. However, days before the debate, four of the party’s senators have come forward saying they will not support it: Sen. Rand Paul (Kentucky), Sen. Mike Lee (Utah), Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) and Sen. Ron Johnson (Wisconsin).
The current #healthcarebill does not repeal Obamacare. It does not keep our promises to the American people.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) June 22, 2017
Trump, on the other hand, tweeted his support for the bill, indicating his intention to sign it into law.
I am very supportive of the Senate #HealthcareBill. Look forward to making it really special! Remember, ObamaCare is dead.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017
In response Obama released the following statement:
Georgia’s Special Election
Voters in the 6th congressional district of Georgia went to the polls on Wednesday to vote for their new representative in the House. The seat was left vacant after its previous occupier, Tom Price, was promoted to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services in Trump’s administration.
Despite the district having been solidly Republican for more than 40 years the Democrats poured a lot of money into the election campaign for their candidate, Jon Ossoff, in the hope that widespread dislike for President Trump would swing the vote in their favour. Wealthy donors from across the nation were also sending funds.
However, Republican candidate Karen Handel emerged victorious by only five percentage points, perhaps indicating that the Democrats don’t have quite the momentum they were expecting. Political analysts have suggested that Ossoff’s loss was due to the unusual popularity of House minority leader Nancy Pelosi, who has recently been branded as making the party “too liberal”.
Trump in Iowa
Trump held yet another campaign-style rally in the swing-state of Iowa on Wednesday, during which he boasted that his administration was in the process of crafting legislation to prevent immigrants from receiving welfare for at least five years.
He also stated he plans to put solar panels on the wall he intends to build on the border between the US and Mexico. He further boasted that he’d thought of this plan himself.
Critics were quick to note the President’s ranting-style that was so common a characteristic for him on the campaign trail. The crowd even began reverberating the chant “lock her up” when Hillary Clinton’s name was mentioned in passing.
Things Trump signed this week:
- A bill to make it easier to fire employees from the Veterans Affairs department for misconduct.
- A bill that repeals protections placed on grizzly bears in Yellowstone national park.