SCHIP Increase Passes, Texas GOP Congressmen Show How Out Of Touch They Are

The reauthorization and expansion of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP, H.R. 3162) passed the United States House of Representatives yesterday as Texas Republicans led the fight to obstruct the bill’s passage and distort its purpose.

Texas Republicans showed just how out-of-touch they were with Texas voters yesterday by voting lock-step with their party on several motions to adjourn the House and on a Motion to Recommit made by House Republican Conference Vice Chair Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-Fort Worth).

Three motions to adjourn were made by Republicans in an attempt to derail the debate; one was by Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Dallas). Granger’s Motion to Recommit With Instructions, another delay tactic, also failed. In introducing it, Granger relied on misleading and inaccurate rhetoric spouted by Republicans throughout the day, noting:

THE BILL IN ITS CURRENT FORM ALSO ELIMINATES VERIFICATION OF CITIZENSHIP STATUS.

THIS MEANS THAT PERSONS WHO COME HERE ILLEGALLY COULD BE PROVIDED SCHIP BECAUSE WE DO NOT VERIFY CITIZENSHIP.

TAKING BENEFITS FROM SENIORS TO EXPAND GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTHCARE TO ADULTS AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IS UNCONSCIONABLE.

Republican Study Committee Chairman Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), was one of the ringleaders of the obstruction, noting the day before the vote:

“We will use every rule of the House that we can to bring this to the attention of the American people.”

Of course, there was really no injustice to bring to the attention of the American people. Texas Congressional Republicans, like their colleagues, simply have an aversion to spending money on low- and middle-income Americans to help make them healthier and their lives better.

In the end, each Republican in the Texas Delegation (save Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Dallas), who is out recovering from surgery) voted against the legislation:

Joe Barton, Kevin Brady, Michael Burgess, John Carter, Michael Conaway, John Culberson, Louie Gohmert, Kay Granger, Ralph Hall, Jeb Hensarling, Kenny Marchant, Michael McCaul, Randy Neugebauer, Ron Paul, Ted Poe, Pete Sessions, Lamar Smith, Mac Thornberry

Even Democrats like Nick Lampson (D-Stafford) and Chet Edwards (D-Waco), who live in marginal districts and are venerable to GOP attacks on this issue come 2008, did the right thing and voted for the legislation, which ultimately passed 225 to 204.

Hal at Half Empty has Lampson’s statement on the legislation:

“I am proud to have voted for the CHAMP Act. This is a vote of conscience, a victory for our nation’s families, their children and our seniors. Additionally, this legislation also saves taxpayers from picking up the tab for indigent care at emergency rooms – the most expensive way to care for a child’s health. It costs less than $3.50 a day, about the cost of a Starbucks coffee, to cover a child through SCHIP.”

Congressman Charles Gonzalez (D-San Antonio), also lauded the legislation’s passage:

“Congress today has displayed a strong commitment to 998,000 of Texas’s children of the working poor by expanding affordable healthcare options for their families. I’m proud to have been a part of the passage of this bill, for its provisions to streamline payments to Medicare Advantage providers, eliminate a scheduled physicians’ payment reduction, implement preventative tobacco use measures, and most importantly, cover eligible children under SCHIP, will all result in a stronger healthcare system in our country.”

Gonzalez is correct; and Republicans, on both their votes and their trashy stall tactics, were wrong.

Tweet This Post   Ping This Post

Bookmark It