Vice President Mike Pence visited Lexington Wednesday to help bolster support for the Republican-sponsored health care bill being considered in the U.S. Senate.
Having met with small business owners and other invited guests at Bryant’s Rent-All on Red Mile Rd, the Vice President made public remarks.
Pence was introduced by Governor Matt Bevin who reiterated his support for the effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
“Give us the local control and the ability to make a change. That’s all we’re asking for. We have a president and vice president who understand this and get this.”
The vice president told the crowd of enthusiastic supporters that small businesses have no better friend than President Donald Trump. He said, during the Lexington “listening” session, he heard from businesses affected by Obamacare.
“I heard from a local hotel business owner who explained to me that, while he was thinking about building a couple more hotels, creating lots of new good-paying jobs, creating lots of great construction jobs and all the ancillary investments that go with expansion here in the Lexington area, because of Obamacare and Obamacare alone and the cost of health insurance, he was holding off.”
Pence said he told the businessman not to hold off.
“I came here to turn up the heat on a promise that every Republican made to the American people, and this president made to the American people, and tell you that we will keep our promise to all of you and, before the summer’s out, we will repeal and replace Obamacare.”
While the vice president was inside meeting with small business owners, a group of protestors, estimated at about 150, spent the afternoon outside, chanting and holding signs with slogans such as: “Medicare for all;” “I am my brother’s keeper;” and “Healthcare is a human right.”
Organizers of the demonstration said that, despite the private “listening session,” their voices deserved to be heard as well.
Audio for this story provided by WKYT-TV.
