LISA RATHKE

Associated Press

HARDWICK - Members of Vermont’s congressional delegation told hundreds of constituents at a rousing town hall meeting Saturday that the defeat of the Republican health plan was “a victory,” with Sen. Bernie Sanders telling the cheering crowd that he plans to introduce a “Medicare for all” bill soon.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Peter Welch said he would introduce the same bill in the House of Representatives.

“It wasn’t just we defeated them,” Sanders, an independent, said. “It was how we defeated them,” with rallies around the country, town meetings and people standing up and fighting back.

“No, we’re not going to give $300 million in tax breaks to the top 2 percent and then throw 24 million Americans off of health insurance. Ain’t gonna happen,” Sanders said.

Welch called the Republican health plan designed to replace the Obama-era health law known as the Affordable Care Act a tax cut bill masquerading as health care.

“This health care bill was not the art of the deal. It was the art of the steal,” he said.

The packed town hall meeting in a school gymnasium was a way for residents to address the delegation all in one forum.

“These are not normal times … they’re scary times,” said Democratic U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy.

Some of the hundreds who attended asked the delegation questions about health care, immigration, education and how to continue to fight against the administration of President Donald Trump.

The delegation encouraged Vermonters to continue to show up at rallies and voice their concerns. Sanders said he planned to visit red states around the country to educate the public about Trump’s budget, which the delegation predicted would not pass Congress.

“The president’s budget is dead on arrival,” said Leahy.

In the wealthiest, most powerful nation on earth, Congress is not going to cut food or heating assistance for the needy, he said, adding that he would not vote for funding for Trump’s plans to build a wall along the 2,000-mile border with Mexico.

Leahy declared as vice chairman of the Appropriations Committee, he refused to vote for a $25 billion wall.

The delegation said it’s working hard on behalf of three advocates for immigrant farmworkers who were arrested recently in Vermont on immigration charges

Sanders said the delegation plans to meet with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on how to make sure dairy farmers who rely on immigrant farmworkers are protected.