Schumer Blasts 'Hypocrisy' of Senate GOP After They Reject Bill to Protect ACA

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer slams Republicans in the Senate for what he called "hypocrisy" in their vote today for a bill that would prevent ending the Affordable Care Act but designed to protect vulnerable senators who support the Trump administration's push to have the Supreme Court strike down the Affordable Care Act.

The Republican vote is in response to Senator Schumer's effort requiring them to make a choice between a lawsuit backed by President Donald Trump or supporting the law that protects people with pre-existing conditions.

Senate Democrats who know they can't stop Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett's nomination continued Thursday to use Senate rules to delay and call attention to Republican states' lawsuit, baked by the Trump administration, to strike down the ACA.

The court will hear the latest challenge to the law a week after the election, and if confirmed by then, Barrett could take part.

"Republicans had a golden opportunity today. The Republican Senate, leader McConnell to make sure that the administration didn't pursue this suit," Schumer told reporters after the Senate voted on whether to prevent the Department of Justice from arguing to strike down the Affordable Care Act in the Supreme Court.

"This is a one two punch to the American people. First, vote against our motion to protect Americans health care. Second, vote for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, who wants to take away your health care," he said.

The vote got 51 of the 60 votes it needed to pass

While Democrats knew the vote would fail, Schumer said: "These senators are worse off today, no matter how they voted, because they flip flopped."

"They can't hide from all their votes to repeal the ACA. And this new vote only shows their hypocrisy a few weeks before the election."

Six Republicans voted with Democrats: Maine Sen. Susan Collins, Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner, Arizona Sen. Martha McSally and Alaska Sens. Lisa Murkowksi and Dan Sullivan. All but Murkowski are in competitive races for reelection this year.

President Donald Trump said in Tuesday's debate that he doesn't know Barrett's views on Roe v. Wade and didn't discuss them with her when they met in the Oval Office three days after Ginsburg's death. She said in her Senate questionnaire that no one had asked her about her views on any specific legal issue.

She has voted at least twice on abortion issues as an appellate judge, both times joining dissenting opinions to decisions in favor of abortion rights.

Schumer was asked about charges that Democrats are attacking Barrett's faith in their efforts fight the nomination.

"No Dem has attacked Barrett over her faith. It's a diversion because they don't want to address the issues, including health care and including Roe v. Wade," he said.

"I think Roe v. Wade, if Judge Barrett got on the court, could either be eliminated or at the very minimum, horrible minimum, so greatly constricted that you'd never recognize it."

It has been reported that Judge Barrett has close ties to a charismatic Christian religious group that holds men are divinely ordained as the "head" of the family and faith. Former members of the group, called People of Praise, say it teaches that wives must submit to the will of their husbands.

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