Protesters target GOP on way out of town over healthcare

Protesters gathered at the airport closest to downtown Washington, D.C., on Thursday, apparently intending to catch lawmakers on their way out of town. 

Demonstrators held signs opposing the GOP’s ObamaCare repeal-and-replace legislation and particularly targeting the newly unveiled Senate healthcare bill. The protests come on the same day that Senate Republican leaders released a draft of their long-promised healthcare reform bill.

Senators fleeing DC after dropping monstrous health repeal bill will be confronted with these guys at the airport pic.twitter.com/vHsTTttq0d

— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 22, 2017

The draft, if passed, will deeply cut Medicaid as well as other key ObamaCare provisions, including its coverage expansion and the law’s requirement to buy coverage. 

{mosads}Topher Spiro, who works as a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, tweeted about the airport protests, including his interaction with Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).

I’m at the airport. We confronted @ChuckGrassley about Trumpcare and he walked away pissed. pic.twitter.com/7WJmTy5v0e

— Topher Spiro (@TopherSpiro) June 22, 2017

Others who attended the protest described the crowd as “impressive.”

Here’s the scene at DCA, protesters gathered to see off members of Congress as they fly back home for the weekend pic.twitter.com/IznjqNlNVL

— Updog Sinclair (@emmaroller) June 22, 2017

PROTEST HAPPENING NOW. DCA AIRPORT. COME NOW. pic.twitter.com/0DkjVu3Evm

— Topher Spiro (@TopherSpiro) June 22, 2017

The Facebook page created for the event, according to The DCist, lists groups like “Resist Here,” “UltraViolet,” “Working Families Party” and “People For the American Way” as the hosts.

“GOP Senators are flying home for the weekend from DCA. Their last vote for the day is at 2:45 PM then many will be heading to the airport,” the Facebook event text says, while providing directions of where to meet for the demonstration. “Let’s greet them with a massive protest to let them know what we think about their disastrous new healthcare bill.”