Photos by Izzie Ramirez
In less than 12 hours after the House of Representatives announced Wednesday night that it was voting to pass the American Health Care Act—a bill meant to replace the Affordable Care Act—Democrats and protesters organized a demonstration in front of the Capitol building Thursday to demand it be voted down.The American Health Care Act will eliminate protections for pre-existing conditions, cut funding for Planned Parenthood, and phase out the Medicaid expansion. The bill was narrowly passed by the House with 217 in favor and 213 against and now moves forward to the Senate.Senators Bernie Sanders, Chuck Schumer, and Elizabeth Warren gave speeches at Thursday's impromptu rally. In addition to other representatives, a variety of interest groups including Planned Parenthood, Voto Latino, VoteVets, and a multitude of religious groups also spoke on the Hill. Hundreds of protesters attended with signs like "ObamaCare saves lives" and "Hey, pro-life. A little help here?"
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