Ron: Graham/Cassidy needs a knock-out punch

by Communications Office

On the eve of this week’s crucial Senate debate over the Graham/Cassidy bill, Ron heard from Oregonians all over the state how this latest Trumpcare scheme would devastate their health care.

Ron and fellow Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley met Friday with patients and staff at Laurelhurst Village, an assisted living center in southeast Portland.

“In this health care debate, Oregon is going to be in the eye of the storm,” Ron said, citing independent studies that show Oregon would be the hardest hit among the 50 states if Graham/Cassidy passes. “Nearly 400,000 Oregonians would lose their coverage.”

The two senators heard from Oregonians at Laurelhurst Village like 91-year-old Betty Tracy about the destructive impact of the proposed cuts under Graham/Cassidy to Medicaid.

She and her son Mike both explained eloquently how Graham/Cassidy’s proposed upending of healthcare are life-and-death matters for both of them.

As the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee that handles health care, Ron said he is strongly committed to defeating Graham/Cassidy because of the broad devastation it would unleash.

“It affects older people who need long-term care. It’s folks between 50 and 65 who would get clobbered. It’s folks in rural areas,” Ron said. “We’ve got to deliver a knock-out punch to this bill that would hurt Oregonians so much.”

Ron heard similar concerns from Oregonians statewide over Cassidy/Graham at town halls on Friday and Saturday in Marion, Clackamas, Deschutes and Lane counties.


Ron has held 68 town halls so far this year, most in 2017 among members of the U.S. Senate.