“Right to Try” Legislation for Terminal Patients Drives Wedge: Armstrong vs. Trump, Republicans, and Common Sense Democrats

Kelly Armstrong voted against legislation that would have allowed terminal patients access to potentially life-saving experimental drugs. Now that President Trump has signed that bill into law, does Kelly want a do-over?

(BISMARCK, ND) — Yesterday, President Trump signed “Right to Try” legislation that would allow terminally ill patients the freedom to use experimental treatments that have not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

President Trump enthusiastically signed the bill. It passed the U.S. Senate unanimously, and Kevin Cramer voted for the House of Representatives version. But there is someone who doesn’t think this potentially life-saving bipartisan bill is a good idea for terminally ill North Dakotans: Kelly Armstrong.

In fact, when similar legislation was introduced in 2015, Armstrong was one of only 5 lawmakers in the North Dakota legislature who voted to deprive the most desperate patients this lifeline. And he did it three times.

“It’s sad to see Kelly Armstrong would vote to deny patients access to cutting-edge treatments when they are at their most vulnerable and desperate,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “His anti-‘Right To Try’ stance has put him at odds with the president, the vast majority of his colleagues in the North Dakota legislature, and Kevin Cramer, the lawmaker he’s running to replace. That vote shows that Kelly Armstrong is more interested in scoring partisan points than working across the aisle for patients.”

VIDEO: 3 big whoppers from Kevin Cramer on Tax Day

(BISMARCK, ND) –  Kevin Cramer really, really, really can’t get his facts right on the Washington Republican tax plan. Whether it was falsely claiming the tax bill would pay for itself, lying to North Dakotans about filing on a postcard or promising that nobody would see a tax hike, Kevin Cramer clearly didn’t know much about the tax bill he voted on.

Here’s a mashup of three big whoppers Kevin Cramer told North Dakotans about the partisan tax bill:

 

 

CLAIM: Kevin Cramer said North Dakotans would be able to file their taxes on a postcard. 

FACT: They won’t – the Republican tax bill fails to deliver on Cramer’s postcard promise.

CLAIM: Cramer claimed everybody in North Dakota would see a tax cut and nobody would see a tax hike.

FACT: Some North Dakotans are seeing higher taxes and some are seeing no change in their taxes whatsoever.   

CLAIM: Kevin Cramer said the tax bill will pay for itself and generate 500 billion in new revenue.

FACT: It won’t – Cramer misled North Dakotans on the cost of the tax bill, and a recent Congressional Budget Office report shows that the tax bill will cost more than previously anticipated. Cramer voted to pass on nearly $2 trillion in debt to our kids and grandkids.