House of Representatives

November 13, 2009 -- (Washington, DC) - Congressman Baron Hill issued the following statement addressing false claims circulating about how the Affordable Health Care for America Act would impact seniors:

“This week, I have heard from several Southern Indiana seniors who are justifiably concerned by what they’re hearing from a group outside Indiana regarding how Medicare would be affected by the health care reform bill. This group is being disingenuous, scaring folks with alarming and false claims, and as such, I’d like to set the record straight.    » read more »

November 12, 2009 -- Washington, DC -- Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today announced his determination to fight against any upcoming health care legislation that further damages an already weakened public health insurance option.

Grijalva said that as the Senate takes up a final reform bill, a public plan should be offered without conditions to Americans in every state similar to the version approved in the House on Saturday.

“The House vote was a significant step, but much more work remains to be done,” said Grijalva, co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. “Now the fight becomes about what kind of public option will survive. It will be very difficult for me to support a product that puts too many roadblocks in the way of broad public participation.”    » read more »

Op-Ed By Barney Frank, The Boston Globe

November 11, 2009 -- MANY MARKET and regulatory failures led to the collapse of the nation’s financial markets last year. That collapse has led to a steep and painful recession and placed extraordinary burdens on working families. In response, the House Financial Services Committee, which I chair, is crafting a series of measures that will produce a comprehensive response by, among other things, regulating derivatives, ensuring proper mortgage lending, and making sure taxpayers never again have to take responsibility for reckless and irresponsible business decisions.    » read more »

Reminds Seniors About Medicare Enrollment Period

November 13, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - Rep. Brad Ellsworth is reminding 8th District seniors and their families to take advantage of the upcoming Medicare Part D Open Enrollment period beginning November 15th. The annual Open Enrollment period allows seniors to sign-up for a drug plan or make changes to their current coverage.

Seniors can enroll by contacting their chosen plan directly or contacting the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or by visiting: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/openenrollment.asp. The Open Enrollment period begins on November 15th and continues through December 31st of this year.    » read more »

Asks IG to investigate scientific merits and potential shortcomings of industry testing method adopted by FSIS

November 12, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT) today, in light of the recent E. coli outbreak involving ground beef, sent a letter to the USDA Office of the Inspector General (IG) calling for an investigation into the scientific merits and potential shortcoming of the N-60 testing protocol, which is a beef testing protocol promoted by the meat industry and relied upon by USDA. The N-60 testing protocol is used by most of the largest beef trim manufacturers to verify that product is free from E. coli.    » read more »

WASHINGTON -- November 13, 2009 -- Today at a press conference at the Green Earth Bio-Fuel of Kentucky site in Estill County, Congressman Ben Chandler announced $984,000 in federal funding to Bluegrass PRIDE (Personal Responsibility In a Desirable Environment) to fund a grants program, environmental education in schools and communities, and the development of a strategic plan to shape Central Kentucky’s environmental future. Clark, Estill, Garrard, Lincoln, Madison, Montgomery, and Powell Counties in the Sixth Congressional District and Nicholas County are eligible for these programs.    » read more »

11/13/09 -- Washington, DC -- Yesterday, Congressman Tim Bishop (NY-1) and members of the New York Congressional Delegation sent a bipartisan letter to federal, state and city officials expressing outrage over reports that over a dozen Wall Street firms were approved to receive some of the limited H1N1 vaccines available to the public. According to BusinessWeek, these private companies have received as many as 1200 units each in recent weeks as colleges, nursing homes and schools face severe shortages.    » read more »

12 November 2009 -- Washington, D.C.— Today, Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA-03) announced $2.4 million in federal funding is coming to the Cascades Volcano Observatory to improve public safety throughout the Pacific Northwest. The funding will be used to upgrade volcano monitoring systems at the center. This will allow scientists to detect potential eruptions more quickly, and give the public more advance warning of a volcanic event. The money comes from the U.S. Geological Survey as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).    » read more »

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Rob Andrews announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded South Jersey nearly $3.3 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to implement energy efficiency projects. Awarded under the DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program, these funds will support local efforts to lower energy use, reduce carbon pollution, and create green jobs.    » read more »

“Nearly four million calls to action were sent to AARP members”

November 12, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- After an historic vote in the House of Representatives this past Saturday, AARP and its nearly 40 million members remain hard at work, fighting for comprehensive health reform. As the health care reform debate moves to the Senate, AARP members are continuing to engage their friends and families in sending a message to Members of Congress that the time to fix the problems with our health care system is now.    » read more »

Supporters Join Congressman to Support Historic Vote for Reform

10 November 2009 -- (Bristol, PA) – Today, Pennsylvania Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8th District) joined Bucks County seniors, nurses, and small business owners to laud House passage of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. Nurses and seniors were on hand to share their experiences on why this critical health insurance reform legislation will help make coverage more accessible and affordable for 8th District residents. Organizing for America (OFA) and Health Care for America Now (HCAN) members joined the Congressman in a show of support for his vote in favor of this historic legislation.    » read more »

Testifying as former Indiana governor who had to balance books, Bayh leads “institutional insurrection” before Senate Budget Committee

November 10, 2009 -- Washington – In testimony before the Senate Budget Committee today, Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) said he would not vote to raise the federal debt limit unless Congress commits to a strict new process to rein in America’s record $12 trillion national debt.

“Who would have thought that the Budget Committee would be the site for the beginning of an institutional insurrection, but here we are,” Bayh testified before the committee. “Many of us count ourselves as pragmatists not idealists, moderates not extremists. Yet here we are, asking for a change in the way business is done in Washington.”    » read more »

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Nov. 10, 2009) -- Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3), Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Ken Lucas, and representatives from the Legal Aid Society of Louisville announced that the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) has awarded a $79,000 grant to the Legal Aid Society to provide legal assistance to low-income veterans in Kentucky.

Kentucky is one of only four states awarded grant money for veterans through LSC’s Technology Initiative Grant Program.    » read more »

November 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - House Democrats passed an historic bill last week that reforms our nation’s health insurance system, brings down the deficit and expands access to affordable, quality health care to nearly every American. The Affordable Health Care for America Act offers security and stability to all Americans, reduces costs, improves coverage and preserves our choice of doctors, hospitals and health plans.    » read more »

10 November 2009 -- Washington, D.C. Today, United States Representative Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02) released the following statement regarding his vote for H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

“Nearly forty-five years ago, Congress enacted a comprehensive Medicare and Medicaid plan which, to date, provides poor and low income families in Mississippi with health care coverage. Passage of The Affordable Health Care for America Act will have the same monumental significance that Medicare and Medicaid has provided for many Americans. It is my hope that the Senate will move swiftly to pass a similar version of the House bill to provide quality and affordable health care for all Americans.”    » read more »