Joe Kennedy III calls out Paul Ryan: What version of ‘mercy’ did you get from the bible?

In a direct shot at House Speaker Paul Ryan, U.S. Rep Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) attacked the GOP’s plan to repeal Obamacare.

In a press conference this Tuesday, Ryan raised eyebrows when he said the GOP’s effort was “an act of mercy,” predictably attracting the ire of progressives and Democrat lawmakers.

In his comments this Wednesday during a House Energy Committee hearing, Kennedy called into question Ryan’s Catholic faith.

“I was struck last night by a comment that I heard made by Speaker Ryan, where he called this repeal bill ‘an act of mercy.’ With all due respect to our speaker, he and I must have read different scripture,” Kennedy said.

“The one that I read calls on us to feed the hungry, clothes the naked, shelter the homeless, and give comfort to the sick. It reminds us that we are judged not by how we treat the powerful, but how we care for the least among us. …”

“There is no ‘mercy’ in a system that makes healthcare a luxury,” he continued. “There is no ‘mercy’ in a country that turns its back on those most in need of protection — the elderly, the poor, the sick, and the suffering.”

Watch Kennedy’s full comments in the video below:

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Sky Palma

Before launching DeadState back in 2012, Sky Palma has been blogging about politics, social issues and religion for over a decade. He lives in Los Angeles and also enjoys Brazilian jiu jitsu, chess, music and art.