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Independent Living News & Policy from the National Council on Independent Living

WE DID IT: #Trumpcare Failed Again!

Congratulations! Tuesday afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that the Senate will not pursue a vote on the Graham-Cassidy bill at this time. This decision was a direct result of the advocacy efforts the disability community has led across the country; thank you for all of your incredible efforts!

NCIL logo - National Council on Independent LivingThis is a big win for people with disabilities, and YOU made this happen. You called, you wrote, you took action. Even when they wouldn’t listen, you kept at it. And eventually, they took notice. Because of you, they heard our demands. Because of you, they could no longer ignore the power of the disability community.

That said, while we should take a moment to celebrate, we must continue to fight. This fight is far from over. Leader McConnell made it very clear on Tuesday that they are not giving up on their healthcare reform efforts. And, we know that the attacks on Medicaid and other critical programs our community relies on will continue as well. We cannot let down our guard now.

Graham-Cassidy has been defeated, but we still have work to do:

  • We must call on Congress to continue with their previous bipartisan efforts on healthcare, which means no more attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act;
  • We must make sure our Members of Congress understand how important Medicaid is to people with disabilities, and demand that they oppose any legislation that would cap or cut the Medicaid program;
  • While you’re at it, talk to your Members of Congress about the Disability Integration Act (DIA), S. 910 and H.R. 2472! Regardless of what Medicaid attacks lie ahead, the Disability Integration is a critical bill that will protect disabled people from institutionalization.
  • And finally, thank your Senators who took a stand and opposed this latest attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act and decimate Medicaid. They need to know we support their decision, and we need to make sure they commit to opposing any future bills that rip healthcare and Medicaid away from their constituents!

Again, thank you and congratulations on this victory! This has been an exhausting battle, and yesterday’s decision was a huge win. We know there’s a lot of uncertainty ahead of us, but there’s no doubt that if we continue working together, more victories lie ahead.