Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders team up to debate GOP health bill sponsors live on CNN

Minnesota senator joins Sanders, Graham, Cassidy in a live CNN town hall Monday night about the health care repeal drive.

September 22, 2017 at 3:53PM
Democratic senators attend at a rally opposing renewed Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Sept. 19, 2017. A bill sponsored by Sens. Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy could see millions lose coverage. From left: Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.); Ben Cardin (D-Md.); Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) (standing behind); Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.)
Democratic senators attend at a rally opposing renewed Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Sept. 19, 2017. A bill sponsored by Sens. Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy could see millions lose coverage. From left: Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.); Ben Cardin (D-Md.); Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) (standing behind); Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) (New York Times/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Sen. Amy Klobuchar is joining Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders to square off against GOP sponsors of the latest Obamacare repeal bill in a CNN debate Monday night.

Senate Republicans have one more week to pass a repeal-and-replace bill with a simple majority. Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy and Lindsey Graham sponsored the last-ditch attempt and will defend their bill in the town-hall style debate moderated by several CNN journalists.

Klobuchar and Sanders will argue against a bill that Minnesota officials say could cost the state billions of dollars in federal funding in the coming years.

The live debate begins at 8 p.m. Central time on CNN and runs for 90 minutes.

Sanders is the sponsor of alternative single-payer health care legislation that proposes expanding Medicare coverage to all Americans. Sen. Al Franken is one of the Sanders bill's 16 co-sponsors. Klobuchar is not.

Republican leaders are hoping to bring the Graham-Cassidy bill to the Senate floor for a vote next week if they can lock in 50 "yes" votes. Republicans are rushing to beat a Sept. 30 procedural deadline.

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The funding is expected to give more than 5,000 Minnesotans, especially in rural areas, high-speed broadband access across the state and help at least 139 businesses and 368 farms.

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