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In another sign of the political troubles facing the proposed American Health Care Act — the Republican Obamacare replacement bill — Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) has announced that she will vote against the bill. Ros-Lehtninen is believed to be the first Republican member of Congress to officially announce plans to vote against the bill.
She announced her decision on her official Twitter account, saying that the bill as written would leave too many from her district without insurance.
I plan to vote NO on the current #AHCA bill. As written the plan leaves too many from my #SoFla district uninsured (1/2)— Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (@Ileana Ros-Lehtinen) 1489523674.0
She added that the legislation weighed too heavily on the elderly and the poor.
As #AHCA stands, it will cut much needed help for #SoFla's poor + elderly populations. Need a plan that will do more to protect them (2/2)— Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (@Ileana Ros-Lehtinen) 1489523685.0
She made a further statement to the Miami Herald.
After studying the impact of this proposed legislation on my district and speaking with many of my constituents, I have decided to vote no on the bill as currently written. The bill’s consequences for South Florida are clear: too many of my constituents will lose insurance and there will be less funds to help the poor and elderly with their health care.
Other Republicans have criticized the bill heavily, including Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), but Ros-Lehtinen is believed to be the first to announce an official "no" vote on the bill.
