Van Hollen gives first speech on Senate floor

Amidst a hot debate over repealing Obamacare, U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen delivered his first speech on the Senate floor Thursday.

Van Hollen acknowledged that appearing this early on the Senate floor is unusual, but he's extremely concerned with, "wiping out access to affordable care for 30 million Americans.”

He says this would "create total chaos throughout the American health care system."

The senator referenced a Silver Spring couple who couldn't afford health insurance through their employer.

With the Affordable Care Act, he says the husband could receive treatment coinciding with a liver transplant.

"This Senate is supposed to be different, but at least for now, it seems very much like the House that I just left,” said Van Hollen.  “As a result of the fast-track process in the Senate, we will be overriding and rough-shodding over the will of the majority of the American population."

Right now, there is no Republican replacement bill.

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