Democrats opened Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court confirmation hearing with a striking scene.
As the Senate Judiciary Committee members delivered their opening statements on Monday, Democrats remained fixed on one issue: health care. And as a reminder of what they deemed "at stake" if Barrett joined the bench, they printed out large photos and told the stories of people with pre-existing conditions who may not be alive today if the Affordable Care Act was struck down.
Senate Judiciary Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) kicked off the Democrats' statements with the story of a constituent who was losing her eyesight to cataracts but had a hard time getting insurance due to her pre-existing conditions. But she was able to get insurance and cataracts surgery under the ACA, describing the moment she got insurance as "manna from heaven," Feinstein quoted.
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Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) tried to shoot down Democrats' display by declaring "as a mother of seven, Judge Barrett clearly understands the importance of health care." All four of the judges who voted to strike down the Affordable Care Act in 2012 had children too. Kathryn Krawczyk
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