Senate Democrats protest secretive GOP health-care bill

To protest the Republican attempt to repeal ObamaCare, Senate Democrats took over the floor on Monday and plan on staying there all night, using motions, inquiries, and long speeches to bring attention to the GOP drafting their bill behind closed doors.

Republicans have said a vote could come within the next two weeks, even though the draft bill has not been seen publicly, and the Democrats are calling for open committee hearings and additional time to consider the bill before a vote. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Republicans have not held any public hearings or negotiations, and that's the "most glaring departure from normal legislative procedure that I have ever seen. Republicans are writing their health-care bill under the cover of darkness because they are ashamed of it."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has said every Republican senator has been involved in one way or another in drafting the bill, and once it makes it to the Senate floor, Democrats will have the opportunity to amend the legislation, Reuters reports. Polls have shown a majority of Americans do not agree with the ObamaCare replacement bill passed by the House of Representatives.

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