Page 6 - Florida Sentinel 7-28-17

White House and Political News
Donald Trump Is Banning Transgenders From The Military
Republicans Looking For Win On Healthcare Front: Jump One Hurdle, Only To Stumble On Next Try
President Trump said he will ban transgender peo- ple from serving in the mili- tary in any capacity, a reversal of the Obama ad- ministration decision that would have allowed them to serve, he announced on social media on Wednesday.
Citing the need to focus on victory, Trump said that the military cannot accept the burden of higher medical costs and “disruption” that transgender troops would re- quire.
“After consultation with my Generals and military ex- perts, please be advised that the United States Govern- ment will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U. S. Military,” Trump wrote
Members of the U.S. military who are transgender will no longer be able to serve.
on Twitter. “Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that
transgender in the military would entail.”
LGBTQ campaign group, GLAAD, called Mr. Trump's move "a direct attack on transgender Americans.”
Republicans vote narrowly to continue conversation.
The Senate voted narrowly on Tuesday to begin debate on a bill to repeal major provisions of the Affordable Care Act, with 2 Republicans voting ‘no’; an ailing John McCain, getting out his sick bed to cast a vote; and V.P. Mike Pence having to break a tie. However hours later, Republican leaders suf- fered a setback.
Hours after opening debate, the Senate roundly rejected the first of a series of GOP propo- sals late Tuesday night: the Obamacare repeal and replace- ment plan that Republicans had been working on for months.
The Better Care Reconcilia- tion Act went down, 43-57, with nine Republicans voting no: Susan Collins (Maine), Tom Cotton (Ark.), Bob Corker (Tenn.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Dean Heller (Nev.), Mike Lee (Utah), Jerry Moran (Kan.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Rand Paul (Ky.)
For years, Republicans have promised to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, which was President Barack Obama’s signature domestic achievement. But they have struggled to find a consensus on how to dismantle the law and install a replace- ment.
The GOP’s hopes of passing some bill ― any bill ― with a scaled-down version of repeal looking increasingly in good
shape, if lawmakers agreed to open debate.
At this point, the idea is for Republicans to just pass this smaller repeal ― which will likely get rid of the individual and employer mandates, as well as a medical devices tax ― and enter into a conference with the House so that Republicans can come up with some larger re- peal-and-replace measure later.
At least that’s how Republi- can leaders have articulated the
plan.
There’s an incredible
amount of uncertainty over the legislation, which hasn’t techni- cally even been written, and there’s a fair amount of bad faith.
Trump Commends Senate For Keeping Health Care Issue Alive; Calls Out 2 Republicans Who Voted No
President Trump, ap- pearing with Prime Minister Saad Hariri of Lebanon at a news conference in the Rose Garden, commended the Sen- ate for advancing the health care debate while scolding the two Republicans — Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — who voted against the motion to proceed.
“We had two Republicans that went against us, which is very sad, I think. It’s very, very sad for them,” Mr. Trump said. “But I’m very, very happy with the result.”
White House Top Advisors Want President To Stop Attacks On AG Jeff Sessions
President Donald Trump has publicly re- buked Attorney General Jeff Sessions, expressing regret for appointing him to the post and disparaging him as "beleaguered" and "very weak."
According to CNN, inside the West Wing, Trump has often found himself the odd man out.
It's there that several top White House officials have urged Trump to cut out his public criticism of Sessions, making a series of arguments in Sessions' defense.
White House chief strate- gist Steve Bannon, chief of staff Reince Priebus and other senior officials have talked up Sessions in con- versations with Trump in recent days, reminding him
Pres. Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions are at odds.
that the attorney general has been one of the most effective members of his Cabinet in advocating for and advancing his agenda.
Trump, however has con-
tinued his criticism of Ses- sions, but declined to say whether he wished Sessions would resign or whether he would force him out of the administration.
PAGE 6-A FLORIDA SENTINEL-BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017