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Sunday, March 21, 2010
All local House members vote against health care bill
All Dayton-area members of Congress voted against the health care bill on Sunday night.
In a statement released late on Sunday, U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Centerville, said he “opposed this bill because it will increase budget deficits and decrease the quality of our health care services. Furthermore, it will cut more than $500 billion in Medicare resulting in reduced health care for seniors.”
U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, released the following statement:
“As America engaged in a national discussion over health care for the past year, I heard directly from thousands of our constituents. They called, e-mailed. wrote letters and attended town hall meetings. They talked to me at the grocery store and even traveled to Washington. Their message was clear: We don’t want this bill.”
“Unfortunately, instead of listening to the American people, Democrat leaders twisted arms, used taxpayer money to cut deals, and made a mockery of the legislative process in order to get the votes necessary to pass this legislation.”
“Our healthcare system needs reform, not a government takeover. I helped develop an alternative reform measure that was never considered, and I offered an amendment to this bill last week to prevent taxpayer funding of abortion, which was defeated when so-called pro-life Democrats changed their votes to no.”
“Americans want Congress to focus on job creation and getting federal spending under control. Instead, President Obama and Speaker Pelosi continue pressing forward with their big government agenda. Ten years from now, when the government-run health care system has grown beyond expectation and the American people are trying to stop Congress from rationing health care to contain costs; we will look back on this day with great regret.”
U.S. Rep. Steve Austria, R-Beavercreek, and U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Loveland, also voted against the bill.
Check here for how all members voted.
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Boehner makes final plea against health care bill
As the last member of the House to speak before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the vote on the health care bill, House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester, gave a heated plea against the bill.
“Can you go home and tell your senior citizens that these cuts in Medicare will not limit their access to doctors or further weaken the program instead of strengthening it? No, you can not,” Boehner said. “And look at how this bill was written. Can you say it was done openly, with transparency and accountability without backroom deals struck behind closed doors, hidden from the people? Hell, no you can’t.”
Boehner’s House district represents parts of Dayton, Riverside and Huber Heights as well as Miami, Darke and Preble counies as well as parts of Mercer and Butler counties.
Watch his speech here:
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Brunner mounts “no endorsement” campaign in Dem Senate race
Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner doesn’t want the Ohio Democratic Party to make an endorsement in her race with Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate.
“Hands Off Our Primary” is Brunner’s battle cry. In an e-mail, she said that Fisher has sent the state party a letter asking for its endorsement.
“Until now, the party has remained neutral. We need your help to keep it that way—not just for me, but for Ohio,” Brunner wrote.
“A state party endorsement at this late date provides no conceivable benefit for anyone but my opponent. As Democrats, we’re all in this together. A party endorsement would alienate supporters of the candidate not endorsed and hurt party unity after the primary election.”
Her request comes just before the party’s executive committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, March 24.
Seth Bringman, spokesman for the Ohio Democratic Party, confirmed that the executive committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday but declined comment on whether the party had received a letter from Fisher or whether the committee planned an endorsement vote. If the committee doesn’t take an endorsement Wednesday, it could consider one later.
The Fisher campaign has not returned calls or responded to an e-mail request.
The primary is May 4 but early voting starts March 30. The winner of the primary will face Republican Rob Portman, former Cincinnati-area U.S. House member and budget director and U.S. trade representative for President George W. Bush, in the general election.
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2 Ohio Democratic House members become ‘yes’ votes on health care bill
The Associated Press is reporting that U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, who had been undecided over the health care bill because of concerns it would put public money toward abortion said on Sunday, March 21, that she is voting for the measure. U.S. Rep. Steve Driehaus, D-Cincinnati, has also decided to vote in favor of the health care reform bill after President Obama promised to sign an order banning the use of federal funds for abortions.
Here’s more from the AP report:
Ohio Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur said Sunday she will support the bill when it comes to a vote later in the day.
In a statement, Kaptur says she is convinced that the bill will maintain existing law on abortion. She says the bill addresses the nationwide problem of affordability of insurance plans.
Kaptur has been an ally of Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak, whose opposition to the bill because of concerns it would foster public funding of abortion has been a major hurdle for its passage.
