Tweet
SCHIP (H.R. 2) passed in the House today on a vote of 289 for and 139 against. The roll call for the vote can be found here.
Howie has the run-down on some procedural maneuvers from the GOP, with whom several wayward Dems also joined. Readers will no doubt recognize some of the names involved: Heath Schuler (NC), Baron Hill (IN), Walt Minick (ID), Bobby Bright (AL), Gene Taylor (MS), Jim Marshall (GA), and Mike McIntyre (NC).
Especially those Blue Dogs we lambasted last time around on SCHIP.
Clearly they didn’t quite get the message. So if folks have suggestions on some progressives that could run against them in a primary come 2010, I’m all ears.
In the meantime, the SCHIP battle moves on to the Senate. Please take some time to call your Senators today and support SCHIP. The fine folks at FamiliesUSA have set up an 800 number for calls on this issue: 1-800-828-0498.
Thanks, gang, for all the calls to the House!
If folks could particularly concentrate on Senators on the Finance Committee, which will be doing mark-up on the bill next, that would be fantastic:
Senate Finance Committee Members:
Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT)
John Rockefeller, IV (D-WV)
Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
John Kerry (D-MA)
Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Charles Schumer (D-NY)
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Ken Salazar (D-CO)
Ranking Member Chuck Grassley, (R-UT)
Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
Jim Bunning (R-KY)
Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Pat Roberts (R-KS)
John Ensign (R-NV)
Update: President Elect Obama praised the SCHIP vote:
“In this moment of crisis, ensuring that every child in America has access to affordable healthcare is not just good economic policy, but a moral obligation we hold as parents and citizens," Obama said in a statement. "That is why I’m so pleased that Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives came together to provide health insurance to over ten million children whose families have been hurt most by this downturn. This coverage is critical, it is fully paid for, and I hope that the Senate acts with the same sense of urgency so that it can be one of the first measures I sign into law when I am President.”
Update: Speaker Pelosi on SCHIP:
33 Comments
Support this site!
Subscribe to the newsletter
Advertise on Firedoglake
Send
us your tips
Make us your homepage
About Firedoglake
WOOHOO!
We’ve got SCHIP and Ledbetter hitting the Senate around the same timeframe, gang — so it’s a good time to double-up on the calls to Senators. Thanks for all the efforts with folks in the House!
This is good news indeed.
Very good news. I’m hearing that the Finance Committee is likely to do mark-up on this tomorrow — haven’t heard a time as yet, though. So calls on SCHIP to Senators on that committee would be very much appreciated.
Today and tomorrow morning.
These people (especially Schuler and Minnick) seem to be reliable votes – for the GOP. (I know people who donated to McSame and to Minnick. Conservative types, former Ds.)
Will do.
Very exciting news.
Primaries for these goofballs can’t come soon enough. How can any Democrat possibly excuse a vote against health care for kids? It’s ridiculous.
Howie’s piece on the vote was pretty specific on how things occurred. Beyond irritating, some of these folks, aren’t they?
Especially right now when the crisis stakes are so high for so many?
OT-For Apple users, Steve Jobs is stepping down.
It’s time for them to move on food stamps and unemployment benefits, too. These are also mostly about kids.
sort of a sabbatical of six months it sounds like
Christy this is awesome news and I love the very cute photo to remind us of what is so precious. Give Peanut a hug from this pup!
I hope they do to, insecurity in families is hard on kids. More middle class families in Arizona going to the state insurance program.
I see that my “representative,” John Kline, is utterly consistent in his failure to vote for things that matter most. The man is a bonehead. Oh, excuse me. Colonel Bonehead, sir!
Sorry Christy, but I am sort of between senators. Tryed contacting Salazar and got a message about Michael Bennett. Not sure if his confirmation hearing is tomorrow or friday.
138 hrs & 36 min
Got a link to the complete voting roster in the House? A couple blue dogs hereabouts, so I just want to make sure on their votes.
Well at least you have Dems, try being stuck with Kyl and McDodo.
Since Burris is supposed to get sworn in tomorrow there should be one more vote there.
138 hrs & 27 min
(((AZ Matt)))
Ugh! No wonder you find the best political cartoons!
New post—->
“How can any Democrat possibly excuse a vote against health care for kids? It’s ridiculous.”
How is it justified to pay for this by taxing cigarettes more? How is this a victory when it gives to one group by taking from another (with quite a bit of overlap I suspect).
Isn’t this a perpetuation of the same failed healthcare system and the same spineless shell-game of public financing.
I hate to be a wet blanket but this is the best the Democrats can do?
17 members abstained? 289 + 139 = 418, there are 435 members of the house.
289 is one vote shy of needed to over ride a veto.
Arizona did pretty good…… 5 Ayes and 3 Nays…… And calling Kyl….. that’s funny don’t ya know those dirty immigrants are stealing benefits yet they cannot name one when you call them on it…… not one name….. Kyl has become the “big strong man” behind McConnell
Fortunately, the odds are extremely good that Obama will not be vetoing this bill.
I checked the link and only a few abstained. maybe some were absent??
After Heath Ledger’s performance in Dark Knight, it’s all the rage to be a joker and a villainous one at that.
Better than nothing. And we have the Blue Dog contingent who repeat this mantra about pay-go. You want something, you pay as you go.
Yes, sadly, although clearly not as odious as Bill Sali (R) whom he replaced, Idaho and Utah are likely the only states in which he could possibly be considered a Democrat. I voted for him but I don’t have any favorable expectations of him.
Next, reduce the cost of medical care by learning more; anticipate reduced costs in proportion to stem-cell research capacity. “Mr. President, would you veto a bill that guaranteed ethical and unfettered stem-cell research?”
I’ll have to return to read the whole post and comments. It’s been a long, but good and productive day here. Nevertheless, wearing.
I just had to log in to say THANK YOU Christy and others for your tireless campaigning to bring issues like SCHIP to the fore, and MAKE the congresscritters pay attention.
This House vote feels good to me, VERY good. May there be more like it.
I know there’s so incredibly much more to tackle, but this is a big start.
Now, will the Senate follow through?
OT: Cheney’s disgusting, ego-centric interview with Lehrer tonight made my skin crawl. I want him away and out of office, totally devoid of further influence in the world. It is not my way to wish him or anyone else ill in general. I just want him away, FAR away from anything of value, any persons that anyone else holds valuable, any power over any part of the world. The degree to which his behavior and influence has been tolerated in this world is stunning and disturbing to me, even if apparently not to himself.
Some may criticize an interview like that televised by Lehrer tonight. What CAN one say, what SHOULD one ask of such a … person? I thank Mr. Lehrer for allowing Cheney to reveal a bit more of his inner self to the world, in hideous, chilling, quiet form. It is easy to shout and argue. It is harder to let someone with such an aberrant psyche try to explain his chosen path in life, without interruption to cloud the insanity of the message.
The quote from Obama is change I can believe in.
It’s game day and first thing the House tosses up a soft one for the Senate and new Prez Obama to pound out of the ballpark.
That’s a pattern I’d like to see repeated on many issues.