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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) announced this afternoon that a "discussion draft" of the rushed, flawed, and secretive Senate version of the American Health Care Act will be unveiled Thursday, in advance of a hoped-for vote a week hence, on June 29. "Oh they'll have plenty of time" [to read the bill], McConnell said. "This will be about as transparent as it can be." Uh-huh.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), long considered the most likely Republican "no" vote, did not sound enthused about the legislation today. While stressing that he'll decide only after reading the bill, Paul reiterated in remarks recorded by Bloomberg News political reporter Sahil Kapur that he's "not interested in voting for anything that's a new entitlement program," and that it might be better to "start over." More from Paul:

The House bill has 90 percent of the subsidies of Obamacare.If this gets any more subsidies in it, it may well be equal to what we have in Obamacare. So it really wouldn't be repeal. []

I think they've forgotten all the rallies where they said they were going to repeal it. I mean, we had thousands of people standing up and cheering us on saying they were going to repeal it. And now they've gotten kind of weak-kneed and I think they want to keep it. But they're getting hit from both sides. Conservatives who are in the know are going to know that this isn't repeal. And no Democrat likes it because they think it's going to go too far. So I think you're going to wind up with what you had in the House billabout 20 percent of the public's going to think it's a good idea.

The other most likely "no" vote has always been Paul's pal Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who, while also keeping his vote open, said in a Facebook video today that:

Even though I've been a member of this working group among Senate Republicans assigned to help narrow some of the focus of this, I haven't seen the bill....And it has become increasingly apparent in the last few days that even though we thought we were going to be in charge of writing a bill within this working group, it's not being written by us, it's apparently being written by a small handful of staffers for members of the Republican leadership in the Senate....We should have been able to see it weeks ago if we were going to voting on it next week.

But even if Lee and Paul revolt, as many have been predicting, the unpopular bill still needs one more Republican hand on the steely knife to kill the beast. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), while mocking Democratic complaints about process, said Tuesday the legislation still has "got a long way to go." Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a key moderate, said, "I would like a more open process, that's for sure," and: "I cannot say what I would vote for if I haven't seen it.That's where a real problem is, because nobody I shouldn't say that." And Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) quipped that, "I'm sure the Russians have been able to hack in and gotten most of it."

Peter Suderman earlier today floated various theories for Republicans' odd AHCA behavior.

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Rand Paul, Mike Lee Rip into Health Care Bill, Which Is Now Expected Thursday - Reason (blog)

it was unconscionable for President Donald Trump to promise $110 billion in new arms sales to Saudi Arabia a country that Human Rights Watch notes has repeatedly used U.S. weapons in attacks that are likely (to) constitute war crimes.

But it is also unconscionable for members of Congress, especially Democrats, to aid and abet Trumps wrongdoing.

Human Rights Watch reports that it has documented 81 apparently unlawful attacks in Yemen over the past two years by a Saudi-led coalition that includes a number of predominantly Sunni Muslim countries. "In almost two dozen of these cases, including the attack on the funeral hall, we were able to identify the U.S. weapons that were used, the international monitoring and advocacy group reported in March. According to the United Nations, at least 4,773 civilians have been killed and 8,272 wounded since this conflict began, the majority by coalition airstrikes. The war has driven Yemen, already the poorest nation in the Middle East, toward humanitarian catastrophe. Both the coalition and Houthi-Saleh forces have blocked or restricted critical relief supplies from reaching civilians. Seven million people face starvation, and cholera ravages parts of the country.

Trumps alliance with the Saudis which renews the worst of past U.S. practices and extends them at a point when Riyadh is engaged in a brutal assault on the people of Yemen must be scrutinized, checked, and balanced by the House and Senate. But that will happen only if Democrats form a united front and side with responsible Republicans to prevent arms sales to the Saudis. On June 16, 47 senators voted to block a substantial portion of the arms deal the president has promised the Saudis. Unfortunately, 53 senators, including five Democrats, sided with Trump.

That a majority of senators would turn a blind eye to what is happening in Yemen is horrific. That a group of Democrats would join that majority, at a time when a number of Republicans are saying no to Trump, is indefensible.

This is not a close call, as U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Congressman Mark Pocan, D-Town of Vermont, have made abundantly clear as steady critics of the Saudi arms deal.

Human rights groups have been outspoken in objecting to arms sales to the Saudi regime.

Two years of conflict have forced 3 million people to flee their homes, shattered the lives of thousands of civilians and left Yemen facing a humanitarian disaster with more than 18 million in desperate need of assistance. Yet despite the millions of dollars worth of international assistance allocated to the country, many states have contributed to the suffering of the Yemeni people by continuing to supply billions of dollars worth of arms, said Lynn Maalouf, who serves as deputy director for research at Amnesty Internationals Beirut regional office. Weapons supplied in the past by states such as the UK and USA have been used to commit gross violations and helped to precipitate a humanitarian catastrophe. These governments have continued to authorize such arms transfers at the same time as providing aid to alleviate the very crisis they have helped to create. Yemeni civilians continue to pay the price of these brazenly hypocritical arms supplies.

Recognizing the madness of providing the Saudis with more weaponry and justifiably concerned that officials in Riyadh will take from the approval of increased arms sales an implicit signal of U.S. approval for more warfare and killing Sen. Rand Paul broke with Trump and launched a move to block the president's morally reprehensible choice.

Displaying a picture of a child who was killed in Yemen, the Kentucky Republican pleaded with his Senate colleagues to prevent Trump and his Saudi allies from making circumstances on the ground dramatically worse. One group said that the impending famine in Yemen may reach biblical proportions think about that. It is astounding what is being done, said Paul, who declared that we will force this vote for these children in Yemen because we have a chance today to stop the carnage. We have a chance to tell Saudi Arabia weve had enough.

The senators impassioned argument won support from across the political spectrum. In addition to Baldwin, teaming with Paul were Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy and other Democrats who have made human rights concerns a priority. When the key vote came, Paul, Baldwin, Murphy and their allies succeeded in generating a historic level of opposition to giving a blank check to the Saudis.

The initiative gained the support of four Republican senators Paul and Mike Lee of Utah, Todd Young of Indiana, and Dean Heller of Nevada as well as 43 Democrats. Unfortunately, the five Democratic senators who sided with the administration Indianas Joe Donnelly, Missouris Claire McCaskill, Floridas Bill Nelson, West Virginias Joe Manchin, and Virginias Mark Warner tipped the balance toward Trump's position.

The determination of those Democrats to back Trumps Saudi agenda is shameful. They are aiding and abetting not just an irresponsible and wrongheaded Republican president but also policies that are likely to lead to significantly more death and more suffering.

Thats frustrating. But it is important to recognize that the fight to limit arms sales to Saudi Arabia is gaining momentum. An effort by Paul and Murphy to block tank sales to Saudi Arabia last year drew just 27 votes. This year, 20 more senators sided with Paul and Murphy.

Numbers like these in the Senate, (which is) historically reluctant to adopt measures that could potentially damage the U.S.-Saudi alliance, show the tide is shifting, explained Alexandra Schmitt of Human Rights Watch. This level of bipartisan support for this resolution could be a game changer and is hopefully the beginning of the end to U.S. cooperation in Saudi-led coalition abuses in Yemen. The Senate should keep up pressure on the Trump administration until the Saudis end their unlawful attacks and credibly investigate the scores they have already conducted.

Thats right. Responsible members of the Senate and the House should keep up pressure on the thoroughly irresponsible Trump administration.

At the same time, Americans of all political backgrounds should keep up pressure on the members of Congress who empower this president especially those Democrats who align with a Trump administration that shows so little regard for human rights and human life.

Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less.

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John Nichols: Unlikely team: Rand Paul and Tammy Baldwin fight Trump's Saudi arms deal - Madison.com

SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky.

Sen. Rand Paul made his first trip to Kentucky since last week's shooting at a congressional baseball practice.

Paul was in Alexandria, Virginia, when a gunman opened fire, injuring a congressman and four others.

Paul returned to Kentucky Monday to tour Gordon Food Service, in Shepherdsville. While there, he took time to talk about the shooting and the game that followed.

"We usually have 4,000, 5,000, 6,000 people," Paul said. "We had 25,000 people there."

Paul told WLKY that last week's congressional baseball game showed that the actions of many outweigh the actions of one.

"We played the game, and people really did come together in the sense that we were set to raise $600,000 dollars for charity in one day and it went up to $1.5 million," Paul said.

Republicans and Democrats played the game just days after a gunman open fired as Paul and other lawmakers practiced.

"It's something nobody can really plan for," Pauls said. "I woke up in the morning going to baseball, a good American pastime, and had a person shooting at us."

Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise was among the victims.

The gunman was shot and killed.

Paul said he has spoken with some of the victims since the shooting.

"I saw one of the real heroes and that was a Capitol Hill policeman, who really probably saved 20 people's lives," Paul said. "It would have been just a disaster had he not been there. Both of them. There was a man and a woman."

Paul said their heroism reminds him that the vast majority of people are good.

"You have to keep telling yourself that," Paul said. "It's a little harder when you've experienced something like that."

The senator will be back in Washington next week and said he hopes to meet with Scalise.

When asked about security, Paul told WLKY that his team already has increased security. It did that in 2011 following the shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords in Tucson, Arizona.

WEBVTT HEPHERDSVILLE,AND TOOK TIME TO TALK ABOUT LASTWEEK'S SHOOTING.WE USUALLY GET 4000, 5000PEOPLE, BUT WE HAD 25,000.REPORTER: SENATOR PAUL SAYS LASTWEEK'S CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALLGAME SHOWED THAT THE ACTIONS OFMANY OUTWEIGH THE ACTIONS OFONE.>> WE PLAYED THE GAME AND PEOPLEREALLY DID COME TOGETHER IN THESENSE THAT WE WERE SET TO RAISE$600,000 FOR CHARITY, AND IN ONEDAY, AND WHEN UP TO 1.5 FAMILYDOLLARS.REPORTER -- $1.5 MILLION.REPORTER: REPUBLICANS ANDDEMOCRATS PLAYED THAT GAME JUSTDAYS AFTER A GUNMAN OPEN FIREDAS PAUL AND OTHER LAWMAKERSPRACTICED IN ALEXANDRIA,VIRGINIA.>> IT IS SOMETHING NO ONE CANPLAN FOR.I WOKE UP EARLY IN THE MORNINGTO GO PLAY BASEBALL, ANDAMERICAN PASTIME, AND THEN THEREWAS A SHOOTING.REPORTER: REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMANSTEVE SCALISE AND FOUR OTHERSWERE HURT.THE GUNMAN WAS SHOT AND KILLED.SENATOR RAND PAUL SAYS HE HASSPOKEN WITH SOME OF THE VICTIMSSINCE.>> I SAW ONE OF THE REAL HEROES,A CAPITOL POLICE MAN, WHOPROBABLY SAVE 20 PEOPLE.THERE WAS A MAN AND A WOMAN.REPORTER: PAUL SAYS THEIRHEROISM REMINDS HIM THAT THEVAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE AREGOOD.SOMETHING HE SAYS WAS EVIDENT ATLAST WEEK'S GAME.

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Sen. Rand Paul discusses congressional baseball shooting - WLKY Louisville

Sen. Rand PaulRand PaulSenators wrestle with transparency in healthcare debate ObamaCare repeal and the Senate: Where it stands Rand Paul recounts shooting: 'Everyone was diving for the dirt' MORE (R-Ky.) in an interview aired Sunday gave a harrowing account of last week's shooting at a congressional GOP baseball practice.

Im just getting ready to go in and I hear one loud shot, Paul recalled during aninterviewwith radio host John Catsimatidis that aired Sunday on AM 970 in New York.

The GOP senator said those on the field initially did not think much of the bang, and were about to continue playing when the shooter opened fire.

A barrage of bullets came. Five, 10, 10 to 20. Overall probably 50, 60 shots were fired. Everyone was diving for the dirt. Everyone was diving for cover, he said.

Where I was located, the shooter was on the third base side behind the dugout. And as the shots came toward where I was standing, I could see them hitting the dirt in the warning track of the right field corner because he was shooting at two staff members that had run that direction, he said.

Paul, who was able to hide behind an oak tree and run, said credit is due to the two Capitol Police officers who were there to protect House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), who was critically wounded after being shot in the hip.

In the end, I would say that all of our lives were saved by the Capitol Hill police, Paul said. They saved a lot of lives by being there."

The FBI was investigating social media postings and potential motives for the gunman, identified as James Hodgkinson, a 66-year-old Illinois man who authorities said had been in the Alexandria, Va., area since March.

Hodgkinson, a former volunteer for Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersSenators wrestle with transparency in healthcare debate Law enforcement not in touch with Sanders on Scalise shooters work for campaign Sanders implies support for Senate blockade over healthcare MORE's (I-Vt.) presidential campaign, appeared on social media to be a staunch critic of President Trump and the GOP. Hodgkinson died Wednesday after being shot during the attack.

The FBI reportedly obtained a list from his pocket Wednesday that included the names of several GOP lawmakers, though none of those reportedly on the list were hurt in the early-morning shooting.

Scalise was in critical condition Friday following multiple surgeries. Another critically injured person, lobbyist Matt Mika, was in the ICU on Saturday but had shown signs of improvement, according to a statement from his family.

A congressional aide and two Capitol Police officers were also wounded in the shooting.

"I think we are going to have to do something differently, particularly when we have large groups of us, Paul said in the interview Sunday, discussing security changes for members of Congress after the shooting.

Individually, I think people can be angry at us, but it is even easier for them to combine all of their hatred and anger towards a group of us. And, I think, that is what set this guy off, he said.

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Rand Paul recounts shooting: 'Everyone was diving for the dirt' - The Hill (blog)

The shooter was a blur to me, but I was close enough to see the dirt fly with each barrage of bullets. Thank God for the diameter of a large willow oak just outside the right field batting cage.

The first shot rang out in isolation. We weren't even sure, at first, if it was a shot. But there was no question when the next five to 10 shots followed. Rep. Steve Scalise was shot in that first barrage. Rep. Trent Kelly stared down the muzzle from less than 20 yards, and the shooter missed repeatedly as he careened, zigzagging toward the first base dugout.

From my spot against the oak tree, I watched as Zach Barth and another staffer raced along the warning track from left field toward my location in right field. As they dove into the dirt, face first, the bullets sent puffs of dirt around them.

A 20-foot chain-link fence separated me from them. I felt helpless, with no weapon and no way to reach the wounded. Rep. Scalise lay at second base, but no one could help him.

Large, long series of shots rang out across the field.

The decision for all of us was: Should I stay or should I go? Which was riskier -- to make a run for it and expose yourself as a target or stay still and hope the shooter tired of using you as target practice? The danger in staying was that if the shooter advanced and came to point-blank range, it would be certain death.

As these thoughts went through my head, another barrage of bullets hit the warning track five feet to my right. A staff member jumped up to try to climb the 20-foot fence just as Barth cried out, "I'm hit." Within two to three seconds, the staffer cleared the chain-link fence, like Spider-Man in fast motion.

He and I crouched behind the oak tree. The question returned. Should we stay or should we go? Should we risk the run across the open field over two more chain-link fences, or should we remain behind the tree?

Shouts spread. The shooter was on the move. Though we could only catch glimpses of him, we could see congressmen and staffers shuffling and repositioning themselves behind the concrete bathroom, the cinder block dugout, and various cars.

Should we stay or should we go? We knew that we had two Capitol Police officers there, Rep. Scalise's security detail. Were they already dead? We took about 10 seconds to deliberate, not exactly a pros and con debate but monosyllabic, "Run? Yeah . . ."

To escape, we had to leave the protective shadow of our oak and sprint across an open field. We would become targets again. As we jumped up to run, we heard the report of pistol fire from Capitol Police. The cavalry had arrived.

In the ensuing gunbattle, Special Agents Crystal Griner and David Bailey showed heroism above and beyond the call of duty. Advancing against the shooter, they were seriously outgunned in terms of firepower. The shooter had a long-range semiautomatic rifle, and the police only had handguns. The report of the pistols, though, was louder than the rifle and more explosive in sound.

Without the presence of these brave officers, both of whom were wounded in taking down the shooter, it would have been a massacre. They saved dozens of lives.

Later in the day, in the aftermath of a killing field, as I walk through the basement of the Capitol, a loud cart follows me, banging -- BANG, banging at every bump. BANG, BANG but not really bang. Not really death impending, but death in verisimilitude -- jarring, loud, and uninvited but not shooting or exploding.

Every passerby that didn't smile -- didn't shoot. Didn't shoot. For that I am grateful.

It's unlikely they will shoot again. Be smart, look at the percentages. Of course, unlikely, very unlikely. A random event, nothing more.

Sitting alone near the end of the day, fortunate to savor or perhaps castigate the sun's last rays, I feel the sun on my face. I want to deflect the sun's gaze. I want to rebuke her for providing aid and abetting the sight lines in today's killing field.

Aim, aim what is the aim. The rifle juts through the chain-link fence, spraying hate and blowing bone and muscle to bits in a show of nothing.

In the pause between gunshot and echo, in the seam of what may be, but is not yet, I hear my breathing return to normal.

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Rand Paul on being trapped on a killing field: Stay or go? - CNN