Stay strong, Sen. Murkowski

I was pleased to hear that Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said she was against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act without a health care bill that was good for the country and Alaskans.

In an April 26, 2017, letter to me addressing my concerns about health care reform, Sen. Murkowski assured me that she is committed to ensuring that important provisions of the ACA, such as covering those with preexisting conditions and expanding Medicaid coverage, be continued.

In her Aug. 11 letter, she expressed concern about the lack of transparency and the need for bipartisan consensus. The Graham-Cassidy bill does none of these, and Sen. Murkowski needs to vote no on this bill.

She also said last spring that she would not be bought off by special provisions of any bill that gave preference to Alaska at the expense of the rest of the country.

Please stay strong, Sen. Murkowski. Alaskans are depending on you.

Joan McBeen,

Tenakee Springs