Yesterday Republicans blocked the economic stimulus package in the Senate, which would have extended unemployment benefits and sends helped out wounded and disabled veterans. It also would have helped 21.5 million senior citizens get stimulus checks.
Back in December, Bush vetoed an expanded children's health care program -- despite an overwhelming majority in the House and the Senate favoring the bill.
Earlier I wrote about how your family owes $16,500.00 for the war in Iraq through 2008. Amazing, then, that President Bush decided that he wants to veto a health and education bill because he claims to be concerned about spending.
John McCain takes a bag full of tricks but no treats to the Kaiser Family Foundation's Presidential Candidate Forums today as he presents a health care reform plan that would bring the Bush Administration's failed health care policies back from the dead.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement in response to President Bush sending Congress a request for an additional $46 billion in war spending, for a total of $196 billion, while he vetoed a bill to give health care coverage to 10 million of America's low income children:
The President of the March of Dimes Foundation, Dr. Jennifer Howse, delivers the Democratic Radio Address. In her address, Dr. Howse discusses the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) bill and explain the importance of the legislation to millions of children across America.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued a statement after Republican members of the House of Representatives voted to uphold President Bush's veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, denying health care to ten million children.
New polling from NPR and the Kaiser Family Foundation indicate that by large margins--and even among Republicans--the American people support the Democratic expansion of SCHIP to cover uninsured children.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean responded to President Bush's press conference today, noting that the Republican Congress was so negligent in passing spending bills that the Cincinnati Post wrote that last year Republicans "set a record for sloth and irresponsibility on the spending bills."
As President Bush tries to justify his veto of the bipartisan State Children's Health Insurance Program today in Arkansas, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement:
The Journal Courier in Kentucky reports today that Senator Mitch McConnell's staff has admitted that they tried to fan the flame of the smear campaign against the Frost family last week.
Despite widespread dissatisfaction with the Bush presidency, John McCain insists on offering more of the same failed Bush policies that have been a disaster for the American people.
Radical right-wing Republicans sink to a new low, attacking a 12-year-old boy for saying that children's health care is important.
While President Bush is vetoing the bipartisan plan that would provide 10 million children health care, Rudy Giuliani will be defending Bush's move as he campaigns in the Granite State this morning. Even though it would cost more than 8,700 kids in New Hampshire needed health care coverage, Giuliani has stubbornly backed Bush's veto threat for months.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued a statement after President Bush vetoed a bipartisan plan supported overwhelmingly by the American people and 43 governors to extend and expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program to cover 10 million low-income kids.
Governor Dean's statement on Bush's veto of health insurance for low-income children.
Bush vetoed legislation that would fund and expand the Children's Health Insurance Program.
Mitt Romney is back in Boston today, one day after revealing more of his health care hypocrisy on the campaign trail. Asked by a reporter in Missouri if he would veto the Democratic plan to provide health insurance to 3.8 million uninsured children by expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), as President Bush has vowed to do, Romney said "Yeah. Yeah, I sure would."
As Fred Thompson campaigns in Iowa today, Iowa voters will want to know why he is standing stubbornly behind President Bush's threat to veto health care coverage for 10 million low income children, including 32,000 of Iowa's kids.
Graeme Frost delivers this week's Democratic Radio Address. He asks Bush to sign into law the renewal of CHIP that Congress passed this week.
Governor Dean blasted President Bush today for threatening to veto legislation that would provide health care coverage for millions of low-income children.
By a vote of 69-39, the Senate has passed legislation expanding health coverage to more children through the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), a highly successful program that makes sure poor children can receive medical care when they are sick. But Bush has threatened to veto the legislation.
The bill, which covers an estimated 10 million children, prevents shortfalls in funding that denies coverage and guarantees dental health and mental health. Will Bush veto coverage of millions of children?
The leading Republican presidential contenders have stood stubbornly behind President Bush on issue after issue and now they also appear to be standing behind his threat to veto health care for low-income children.
Fifty years ago today, nine students started the integration of Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.
It looks like the entirety of the Republican strategy -- in Congress and the White House -- is to prevent as much as possible from getting done for the American people. They've blocked votes on Iraq, voting rights, human rights, and troop rest. In fact, they're literally on a path for setting a record for the most obstructionist in history.
During the Democratic radio address this week, Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania called on President Bush to sign the bipartisan plan to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and provide millions of children the health care they need and deserve.
The Democratic Congress yesterday sent landmark legislation to the President that reduces college costs for millions of young people. The Democratic National Committee and College Democrats of America praised Congressional Democrats and highlighted the bills benefits for Asian American and Pacific Islander families and students:
Washington, DC - Today the Democratic Congress sent landmark legislation to the President that reduces college costs for millions of young people. College Democrats of America issued the following statement praising Congressional Democrats and highlighting the bill's benefits for minority students.
The number of uninsured children rose significantly last year.
According to news reports today, the Bush Administration has instituted a new policy making it harder for states to enroll children in the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which currently provides health care coverage to over six million children nationwide.
Undeclared GOP Presidential candidate Fred Thompson was in Kansas City, Missouri today to address the 108th National Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. But like his unofficial campaign Thompson's record on veterans' issues raises a lot of questions.
The Bush administration is making it more difficult for states to provide health coverage to low-income children by mandating tough new rules that determine eligibility--even though many states are trying to increase the number of children covered.
Department of Health and Human Services directors are sending copycat letters to newspapers across the country, spreading misinformation about the children's health insurance program, SCHIP, currently up for re-authorization.
Giuliani confuses Medicare and Medicaid.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed legislation that gives millions of low-income children health care:
President Bush is threatening to veto a critical children's health care program set to be renewed this week by Congress, and the American people are outraged.
The following are excerpts from recent editorials from across the country:
Rudy Giuliani "scoffed" after New Hampshire voters asked him tough questions about his health insurance "plan"--which looks identical to the Bush plan.
The College Democrats of America today applauded House Democrats for standing up to President Bush’s irresponsible veto threat and passing the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007. After promising last year to make college more accessible and affordable, Democrats kept that promise by passing the Reduction Act, which would increase the size of Pell grants for poor students, cut interest rates for student loans, cap monthly loan payments at 15 percent of a student’s discretionary income, and slash subsidies for the scandal-plagued student loan industry by $19 billion. [
New York Times, 7/11/07]
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement expressing support for the Employee Free Choice Act. Union members, labor leaders and Congressional Democrats came together this afternoon to show support for the legislation...
Recently, House Democrats under the leadership of Rep. George Miller introduced legislation that would increase federal college financial aid by $20 billion over the next five years. Passing through the Education and Labor Committee by an overwhelming majority of 30-16, the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007 (HR 2669) would be the largest single increase in student aid since the G.I. Bill was signed into law in 1944.
Chalk up one more victory for America, as the Senate voted 63-28 to allow lower-priced prescription drugs to be imported from Canada. While the president's advisors are recommending a veto, the bill still stands a shot at passage.
With the Senate recently completing their 100th work day, it's worth taking a look at all they have already done to improve the lives of Americans. Unlike the do-nothing Republican Congress they replaced, Democrats have already pursued a positive agenda and gotten things done on ethics reform, minimum wage, energy independence, eduction, health care, homeland security, veterans, and Iraq.
Today there's a editorial in the Sacramento Bee that provides the important context in which the Employee Free Choice Act is offered. The system is currently broken, with an outdated system that desperately needs reform:
AARP, the nonpartisan membership organization for people over fifty, will begin running radio advertisements in 10 states urging the Senate to pass legislation to allow the federal government to negotiate for lower drug prices.
Democrats are giving college students more reason to continue revitalizing their local chapters across the nation. Diverse, which focuses on issues related to higher education, has the story:
Workers deserve to retire with the dignity and comfort that they have earned, but as the Associated Press reports, incomplete information about hidden fees can drain thousands of dollars from 401(k) plans.
Recently, Speaker Pelosi released a statement calling for President Bush to support efforts to provide states with the funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement praising the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act:
Last week, the Employee Free Choice Act passed in the House of Representatives 241 to 185. EFCA restores American workers' right to freely choose whether or not to form a union. Specifically, the bill says that once a majority of workers sign a card authorizing a union, it is then formed. President Bush has already threatened a veto of this vital legislation, which first must go to the Senate.
Just last week the Employee Free Choice Act was introduced in the House of Representatives, and already it has cleared one significant hurdle: the House Education and Labor Committee. From the AFL-CIO blog: The House Education and Labor Committee beat...
Rising health care costs are the root cause for the financial obstacles we need to address when taking a look at Medicare and Medicaid. Instead of addressing the issue, however, President Bush has simply proposed $101 billion in cuts to the popular programs over five years.
Union members and supporters have something to smile about this week - the Employee Free Choice Act has been introduced in the House. The bill, aimed at shoring up the ability of workers to organize, is long overdue.
Today, a
New York Times editorial points out that President Bush's new plan to tax working families' health insurance will do little to actually help the 47 million Americans without health insurance or help reduce skyrocketing medical costs. Bush's policies could even increase the number of uninsured if it goes badly which is "not the answer Americans are waiting for and not what they deserve." Democrats remain committed to finding solutions to the challenges facing our health care system, not creating new ones
Today, President Bush pitched his recycled health care scheme at an event in Lee's Summit, Missouri. The proposal, which would increase taxes on middle class Americans, has been soundly discredited by experts and various publications across the country.
It's not enough that America realizes it's way past time we increase the minimum wage. It's not enough that families across the nation struggle to make ends meet. It's not enough that the House voted for a no-strings-attached minimum wage bill. Senate Republicans still blocked an increase in the minimum wage.
Smooth talking Mitt Romney tonight rushed to embrace President Bush's latest health care scheme, even though it represents a new health care tax for middle class families and will do little to provide health care for more Americans or address the problem of rising health care costs. In a written statement, Romney said he "welcomes" the President's plan, that "states are the best laboratories" for finding health care solutions, and that his state found a way to expand health care "without a tax increase."
College Democrats of America President Lauren Wolfe issued the following statement congratulating the Democratic Congress for their legislative accomplishments in the first 100 hours:
As part of their first 100 Hours Agenda, Democrats in the House are expected to vote today on the "College Student Relief Act of 2007" - which will cut interest rates in half on loans for middle class borrowers, saving the average student thousands over the life of his or her loans.
Today, the Democratic Congress passed a bipartisan measure to increase the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour. With 89 percent of Americans backing this measure to help our country's working families, President Bush and Republicans in Congress now have the opportunity to help millions of hard-working Americans and their families by supporting this legislation.
Tackling a top priority, the House pushed an increase in the federal minimum wage toward passage Wednesday, finally giving hard-working Americans the raise they deserve. "For 10 years the lowest-paid Americans have been frozen out. They have been working at a federal poverty wage, not a federal minimum wage," said Democratic Rep. George Miller (CA), who authored the legislation.
Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, the incoming Senate minority leader, recently vowed to oppose a common-sense Democratic proposal to allow Medicare to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices.
Soon-to-be Speaker Pelosi has outlined her vision for the first 100 hours of a Democratic Congress. Included is a fix to the disastrous Medicare bill passed by the Republicans which prevents the federal government from negotiating lower drug prices for seniors.
With America's pensions under attack, Congress is considering bi-partisan pension reform. The legislation was bottled up last year when Washington Republicans tried to couple common-sense pension reform with President Bush's scheme to privatize Social Security.
