Donnelly Touts Independent Voice After Supporting Gorsuch
April 11, 2017 at 6:02 p.m.
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“It’s quite a trifecta,” Donnelly said. “I just try to do what’s right.”
Donnelly has found himself in the spotlight and among a few Democrats willing to cross the political line and support the president.
That was the case recently after he announced support for Trump’s nominee, Neil Gorsuch, for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Ultimately, the Indiana Democrat was one of three Democrats in the Senate to support the nominee.
The first-term senator from South Bend is one of the few Democrats in the Senate who find themselves serving constituents in strongly Republican states and trying to wade through the challenges of considering Trump’s proposals.
While many Democrats sought to block Gorsuch’s nomination as retaliation for Republican opposition to President Obama’s choice in Merrick Garland last year, Donnelly disagreed.
He called the move by Republicans to block Garland “shameful.”
“It was a real abuse of process, but two wrongs don’t make it right,” he said.
“From reviewing his records, from reviewing his writings and from hearing his testimony on the judiciary committee, it was clear to me that he’s qualified,” Donnelly said Monday, noting the American Bar Association found Gorsuch to be “well-qualified.”
Hours after casting the controversial vote, though, Donnelly returned to Indiana and was quick to contrast himself with the president on other issues.
He did so Saturday when he helped deliver a few Meals On Wheels dinners to Indianapolis residents.
The program provides dinners to homebound residents and is one of the many domestic programs that face cuts under Trump’s budget plan.
Donnelly said he delivered meals to a Vietnam-era veteran and a woman with vision problems. He said they conveyed their appreciation for the program.
Donnelly said he supports the program, not only because it provides needed nutrition, but has side benefits such as personal interaction with the delivery person, who also can check on the recipient’s welfare.
In many cases, the visit is the only time recipients have some interaction, Donnelly said.
The program also represents a cost savings to the government because the residents remain living independently.
“We don’t have to bear the cost of an assisted living center or another location that costs an incredible amount for the cost of a few meals. It’s like a home run,” he said.
Donnelly is conveying a simple message as he visits Indiana communities during a two-week congressional break — that he’s keeping his campaign promises to provide a common-sense, mainstream approach to solving problems.
As for health care reform, Donnelly said he’s willing to work with anyone who wants to improve ACA, but opposes seeing anyone in Indiana losing insurance coverage.
He’s a critic of Trump’s recent effort of repeal and replace, saying it would have dramatically increased premiums and deductibles and put more of a burden on older Americans.
Renewed talk of reviving the health care plan, he said, appears to involve removing coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.
“They had a really, really bad product and the way they plan to get more votes is to make it worse,” Donnelly said.
Donnelly is up for re-election next year and said he intends to run. He said a formal announcement is expected this summer.
“It’s quite a trifecta,” Donnelly said. “I just try to do what’s right.”
Donnelly has found himself in the spotlight and among a few Democrats willing to cross the political line and support the president.
That was the case recently after he announced support for Trump’s nominee, Neil Gorsuch, for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Ultimately, the Indiana Democrat was one of three Democrats in the Senate to support the nominee.
The first-term senator from South Bend is one of the few Democrats in the Senate who find themselves serving constituents in strongly Republican states and trying to wade through the challenges of considering Trump’s proposals.
While many Democrats sought to block Gorsuch’s nomination as retaliation for Republican opposition to President Obama’s choice in Merrick Garland last year, Donnelly disagreed.
He called the move by Republicans to block Garland “shameful.”
“It was a real abuse of process, but two wrongs don’t make it right,” he said.
“From reviewing his records, from reviewing his writings and from hearing his testimony on the judiciary committee, it was clear to me that he’s qualified,” Donnelly said Monday, noting the American Bar Association found Gorsuch to be “well-qualified.”
Hours after casting the controversial vote, though, Donnelly returned to Indiana and was quick to contrast himself with the president on other issues.
He did so Saturday when he helped deliver a few Meals On Wheels dinners to Indianapolis residents.
The program provides dinners to homebound residents and is one of the many domestic programs that face cuts under Trump’s budget plan.
Donnelly said he delivered meals to a Vietnam-era veteran and a woman with vision problems. He said they conveyed their appreciation for the program.
Donnelly said he supports the program, not only because it provides needed nutrition, but has side benefits such as personal interaction with the delivery person, who also can check on the recipient’s welfare.
In many cases, the visit is the only time recipients have some interaction, Donnelly said.
The program also represents a cost savings to the government because the residents remain living independently.
“We don’t have to bear the cost of an assisted living center or another location that costs an incredible amount for the cost of a few meals. It’s like a home run,” he said.
Donnelly is conveying a simple message as he visits Indiana communities during a two-week congressional break — that he’s keeping his campaign promises to provide a common-sense, mainstream approach to solving problems.
As for health care reform, Donnelly said he’s willing to work with anyone who wants to improve ACA, but opposes seeing anyone in Indiana losing insurance coverage.
He’s a critic of Trump’s recent effort of repeal and replace, saying it would have dramatically increased premiums and deductibles and put more of a burden on older Americans.
Renewed talk of reviving the health care plan, he said, appears to involve removing coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.
“They had a really, really bad product and the way they plan to get more votes is to make it worse,” Donnelly said.
Donnelly is up for re-election next year and said he intends to run. He said a formal announcement is expected this summer.
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