West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R) has been invited into a healthcare reform meeting with Republican senators after ongoing criticism that Republican policies on women’s health have largely avoided input from female lawmakers.
The group, led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) plans to further draft and finalize plans for a Senate vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA), better known as “Trumpcare.” The group originally began with 13 Republican men, drawing outrage from women across parties.
“We’re going to be talking about Medicaid; that’s the issue I’m concerned about,” Capito said, according to the Hill. West Virginia previously accepted an Obamacare Medicaid expansion. She remains unsure if she will be a regular member in the group, or if her appearance is a one-time event.
Looks like Republicans switching up the optics of 13 men debating health care. Both Jodi Ernst and Shelly Moore Capitol are in the meeting.
— Paul McLeod (@pdmcleod) May 9, 2017
Capito wasn’t the only woman invited to join the group. BuzzFeed News’s Paul McLeod reports that Iowa Sen. Jodi Ernst was also invited to the meeting. A White House aide told CNN that more women will join the group, although that remains to be seen.
“You’ll see those optics addressed,” the aide said.
MORE: official told me, “You’ll see those optics addressed.”
— Elizabeth Landers (@ElizLanders) May 9, 2017
H/T the Hill
