GOP rep booed at town hall for saying healthcare isn’t a ‘basic human right’
Rep. Raúl Labrador (R-Idaho) faced boos from a town hall audience while defending his views that healthcare is not a “basic human right.”
“I just don’t think it’s a right to have healthcare,” Labrador said Wednesday in response to a question about healthcare reform and increasing costs, according to The Associated Press.
People reportedly gathered outside of the town hall hours before it started and shouted for the congressman to “do your job.”
The Idaho Republican started the event by saying “I am super popular tonight,” according to the news service.
{mosads}During the event, people also asked questions about topics related to holding President Trump accountable.
Trump last month took to Twitter to lash out at three members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, including Labrador, and threatened to back primary challenges against caucus members in 2018. The comments came after the GOP healthcare bill was pulled from the House floor amid dwindling support.
The Freedom Caucus fired back at Trump, saying it has kept its promise on healthcare and its vow to fully repeal ObamaCare.
On Wednesday, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Republicans are putting the “finishing touches” on an effort to revive their ObamaCare replacement bill.
“We’re in the midst of negotiating sort of finishing touches, because our members want to make sure that we lower premiums,” Ryan said Wednesday during a question-and-answer session during a trip to London.
Talks on the healthcare measure have continued during Congress’s two-week recess. Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, and Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.), co-chairman of the centrist Tuesday Group, have said they have spoken to Ryan’s office and Vice President Pence about the next steps.
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