ProgressOhio

CBO Score Released: Largest Deficit Reduction Measure in 17 Years
Final Reconciliation Language Released Thursday

WASHINGTON, DC – After reviewing the CBO score and the final reconciliation bill (H.R. 4872) language, U.S. Congressman Charlie Wilson announced his support of the Senate health reform bill and the reconciliation bill which will make necessary changes to the Senate bill.

Analysis released yesterday by the Congressional Budget Office concludes that the health reform bill with the amendments in the reconciliation bill will lead to a reduction of $138 billion in the federal deficit over a ten year period. In addition, it will cut the deficit by $1.2 trillion over the second ten year period --the largest deficit reduction measure in 17 years.

“This bill is not perfect, but it is a strong step forward,” Wilson said. “I have seen the CBO score and the reconciliation changes for myself. This bill will not add a dime to the deficit. I am confident that the Senate bill will be amended by the reconciliation language and that special deals for certain states, like Nebraska, have been taken out, that affordability for middle class families has been improved and that the harmful excise tax on high cost health plans has been adjusted. For these reasons and for the benefits that this bill will bring to my constituents, I will support the Senate bill with the announced reconciliation changes.”

Wilson, who is pro-life, has given serious consideration to the abortion language in the Senate version of the bill. Thursday afternoon, Wilson joined a conference call, along with pro-life Congressman Dale Kildee of Michigan, to discuss the Senate bill with several pro-life religious leaders, including Francis Xavier Doyle, the former Associate General Secretary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Doyle thanked Wilson for taking a thoughtful and deliberative approach to health reform. Doyle agreed with the other religious leaders on the call that no federal funds would be spent on abortion because of this health care reform bill.

“I am confident that the language in the Senate bill ensures that there will be no federal funding for abortions,” Wilson said. “It is important to remember that according to a Harvard Medical School study, an estimated 45,000 people die each year – that’s one American every 12 minutes – in part because they lack health insurance and access to quality health care. We must value their lives as well. At this point, I am confident that the Senate language upholds all of my pro-life values. ”

Dear Friend,

In the past year, our nation has engaged in a national debate over health care reform. 

It's been a privilege meeting with the thousands of constituents and listening to both sides of the debate. But a central theme emerged over the course of recent months. Both sides of the argument agreed we need reform. The personal stories, from Ashland to Wadsworth and from Wooster to North Canton and from all across the district, relayed to me were the most moving and persuasive arguments for reform.  

I have met too many families and small businesses in our area who are one medical emergency away from bankruptcy. Today, I invited three such families effected by our broken system to come to Washington to tell their stories and stand beside me as I made my commitment to vote in support of health care reform that would protect them from financial ruin while providing them with life-saving health care.

The current cost of health care is breaking the financial back of American small businesses, middle class families, and seniors.  If Washington decides to do nothing our country’s deficit will continue to grow, the health insurance industry will continue to raise premiums, and 32 million Americans will go on without health care.

That's why I'm supporting health care reform. The reform package cuts the federal deficit by 1.2 trillion dollars over the next two decades, gives tax credits, contains cost, reduces existing fraud and waste in the current system, and extends affordable high-quality health care to an additional 32 million Americans - including 414,000 16th District residents.

What does all this mean for the 16th Congressional District.  Working families in the district will receive the largest middle class tax cut in history.  The 9,800 uninsured individuals in the district who have pre-existing conditions like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes can no longer be denied affordable coverage.  Our seniors will see the cost and quality of their Medicare improve while providing new discounts and rebates for prescription drugs.  The new health insurance exchange will offer group rates and more choice for small businesses in the district that provide health care for their employees.  Finally, the 38,500 residents who cannot afford health insurance in the district will receive coverage.

For some this difficult vote has become about politics and reelections. Personally, making sure the folks in our district can afford quality health care is more important than the obsession over politics in Washington.  The National Republican Party from the start has stood with the health insurance industry and other special interest groups as Americans call for action from Congress. 

I want to thank all of you who have shared your stories with me and for those families who came to Washington today to stand with me in support of health care reform. We can only do this together, and I need your help.  I look forward to continuing to build upon what we are building together – a greater Ohio and a greater 16th Congressional District.

Sincerely,



Rep. John Boccieri
(OH-16)

Taken from his post here:

I'm the person you all are writing about. Let me tell you a bit about me. First of all, my actions were NOT about me, NOT for me either.

My parents raised me to think about other people; like:
• "Whatsoever you do to the least of us..."
• "He's not heavy, he's my brother."
• "Do unto others what you would have them do unto you."; and, especially in our large family,
• "Share, and share alike."

One of my brothers said that if our parents would have written a book about how they raised seven kids on so little money, they would have been rich. But they didn't, and we weren't. We shared a lot and handed stuff down a lot--and our parents did without, often, and a lot.

Last Tuesday, i got up,, made my sign, went to the demonstration, and came home. I though it was over. But i guess i was wrong on that!

My sign borrowed from the "Got Milk?" ad: "Got Parkinson's?// I DO and YOU might//Thanks for helping!//That's community."

Medicare paid for brain surgery that significantly mitigated my suffering. When I got my brain implants turned on, life became almost ordinary for awhile--and we all cried tears of happiness.
But Parkinson's is still eating away at my nervous system, and some day i'll die from it. In the meantime, i have dedicated myself to thanking my family and friends, and the broader public for helping me. I do so mostly by writing, and occasionally by putting myself in harm's way, to bring attention, not to me--i'm the luckiest guy since Lou Gehrig--but to people who need help so badly and couldn't make the rally.

My only hope is that my Mother and deceased Father would be proud of me.

More Here

One day after announcing he was postponing an important trip to the Asia-Pacific region, President Obama  today called this weekend's expected health-care vote in the House a "historic" opportunity to do what's "right" for the American people.

The speech at George Mason University was Obama's fourth off-campus health-care event in the past two weeks. In it, he framed the vote as a choice between a victory for the insurers or a victory for the American public.

"We are going to do something historic this weekend," the president told a cheering crowd that frequently interrupted him with chants of "Yes we can". "The only question left is this: Are we going to let the special interests win once again? Or are we going to make this vote a victory for the American people?"

Repeatedly couching the health-care vote in historical terms, Obama compared it to the votes to pass Social Security and Civil Rights legislation. He also invoked the memory of Sen. Ted Kennedy for the second time this week saying the late Massachusetts senator had pushed for reform because he knew it was right -- regardless of how it might play politically.

"In just a few days, a century-long struggle will culminate in an historic vote," he said. "As messy as this process is, as frustrating as this process is, as ugly as this process can be, when we have faced such decisions in our past, this nation time and time again has chosen to extend it's promise to more of its people."

Watch It:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

It was the video that shocked the nation - Tea Partiers mocked a man with Parkinson’s, as he sat quietly.

The man with Parkinson’s from the video, sat down with ProgressOhio yesterday.

Watch now and find out what he was thinking during that fateful moment and why we must pass health care now.

Watch It:

For a year now, they’ve mocked and they’ve lied and tried to stop us. This weekend, we win.

Send this to a friend now!

See Also: The Columbus Dispatch: Parkinson's patient gains national attention from health-care rally confrontation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsHZnc9qcMQ Bob Speaks Part II

The original video is available here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ik4f1dRbP8

Our District 17 Representative, Tim Ryan, is one of our strongest allies in Congress - he's been unwavering from day one in his fight for quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

Rep. Ryan made us all proud last November when he cast his YES vote for health care reform, and we know when the next vote comes he's going to stand up for us again.

Friday, the Tea Party will be targeting Rep. Ryan with rallies, and the media will be there covering them.

Are you available Friday - either during your lunch hour or toward the end of the workday day, to show your support for Rep. Ryan and his upcoming YES vote?

We know Tim Ryan isn't going to cave in to this pressure from the right. But at times like this, it's important to let him know his friends will stand with him - just like he has stood with us on this and so many other important issues.

We we can count on Representative Ryan in this fight. Can he count on you?

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Democrats' revised health care bill will cost $940 billion over the next 10 years, a House Democratic source told CNN Thursday.

The bill cuts the deficit by $130 billion during that period of time, according to the source.

Ezra Klein notes that this means “more deficit reduction than either the House or Senate bill, and more coverage than the Senate bill.”

• It cuts the deficit by $1.2 trillion in the second ten years.

• It reduces annual growth in Medicare expenditures by 1.4 percentage points per year.

• Expands coverage to 32 million Americans.

A third Dem source exults that this is the “biggest deficit reduction measure in 25 years, since the 1993 Clinton budget.”

Yesterday, the Energy and Commerce Committee released an analysis on the impact of the new health insurance reform legislation on families, small businesses, seniors in Medicare, health care providers, and the uninsured in each of the 435 Congressional districts.

For instance, in Minority Leader Boehner’s district in Ohio, the legislation will:

Improve coverage for 427,000 residents with health insurance.

Give tax credits and other assistance to up to 161,000 families and 11,600 small businesses to help them afford coverage.

Improve Medicare for 99,000 beneficiaries, including closing the donut hole.

Extend coverage to 29,500 uninsured residents.

Guarantee that 8,800 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage.

Protect 1,400 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs.

Allow 54,000 young adults to obtain coverage on their parents’ insurance plans.

Provide millions of dollars in new funding for 10 community health centers.

Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and other health care providers by $28 million annually.

See how reform will impact your community»

Information on data sources»

An up-or-down vote on HEALTH CARE REFORM will come down to just a few votes, and CONGRESSMAN JOHN BOCCIERI could be the deciding vote - he needs to hear from you!

Join us as we rally in Canton, letting Rep. Boccieri know YOU support a YES vote on health care reform!

    WHEN:  Thursday, March 18, 2010, 4pm - 5pm

    WHERE: Office of Congressman Boccieri, 300 W Tuscarawas Street, Canton, OH 44702

    RSVP: Click here to let us know you're coming

Can't come to the rally?

Click here to call Rep. Boccieri's office or send a message to Rep. Boccieri online. We'll compile all the written responses and get them to Rep. Boccieri's office before the vote.

This legislation will make health care affordable for the middle class, provide security for seniors, and guarantee access to health insurance for the uninsured - while reducing the federal deficit by over $100 billion over the next decade.

Here are the benefits of the legislation specifically for Ohio's 16th Congressional District:

• Improve coverage for 414,000 residents with health insurance.
• Give tax credits and other assistance to up to 167,000 families and 13,200 small businesses to help them afford coverage.
• Improve Medicare for 111,000 beneficiaries, including closing the donut hole.
• Extend coverage to 38,500 uninsured residents.
• Guarantee that 9,800 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage.
• Protect 1,700 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs.
• Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and other health care providers by $56 million annually.

You may have heard the good news by now - Congressman Dennis Kucinich has announced that while he still has reservations about the bill, he will vote YES on the upcoming health care reform vote!

His vote may be the vote that makes the difference and brings us another step toward victory.

Click here to say thank you

Like many of us, Rep. Kucinich would like to see more far-reaching reform than the legislation that is currently on the table.  But as he said in his statement today, ""I know I have to make a decision not on the bill as I would like to see it, but as it is." He pointed out that the bill will bring health care to 31 million Americans, noting that it would help many in his district.

We've set up several ways you can say THANK YOU to Representative Kucinich for doing the right thing.

RALLY

This will be a rally/honk and wave, then participants will walk to Kucinich's district office to thank him.
WHEN: Thursday, March 18, 11 AM
WHERE: Intersection of Ridge Rd and W. Ridgewood Dr, Parma, OH 44129
RSVP: Click here to let us know you're coming

CALL

Call Rep. Kucinich's office to say thank you.
Click here for the phone number and other information, and to let us know you've made the call.

WRITE

Write an online thank you note to Rep. Kucinich.
Click here to get started.

Like Rep. Kucinich, we know the bill is not everything we would like it to be, but it will:

• Stop insurance company abuses like denying care for pre-existing conditions
• Give your family and small business tax credits to afford good coverage
• Cover 31 million more people and save over 30,000 lives per year
• Kucinich's announcement today is great news for all of us.

Please join us as we say THANK YOU to Rep. Kucinich for taking us another step closer to quality, affordable health care for all Americans!

Ohio Tea Partiers Mock, Throw Things at Parkinson's Victim.

COLUMBUS - In a scene reminiscent of non-violent civil rights confrontations from the 1960s, Ohio Tea Partiers quickly turned ugly when facing off with health care advocates in front of Ohio Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy's office Tuesday.

In shocking video taken by a Columbus Dispatch reporter Doral Chenowith yesterday, Tea Party protestors mock a seated counter-protestor with a sign indicating he has Parkinson's disease. They then proceed to hurl wadded up bills at him shouting, "I'll decide when to give you money!"

Watch It:

Tea Partiers Mock Apparent Parkinson's Victim from Progress Ohio on Vimeo.

Tea Partier #1: You're looking for a hand-out, you're in the wrong end of town. Nothing for free over here, you have to work for everything you get.

Tea Partier #2: I'll pay for this guy. Here you go. Start a pot. [Drops dollar bill on man, turns around, then walks back. Bends over, repeatedly jabs finger at man.] I'll decide when to give you money! Here's another one, here you go. [Throws wadded up bill at man.]

Crowd: You love a communist.

Tea Partier #2: No more hand-outs!

• Improve coverage for 394,000 residents with health insurance.


• Give tax credits and other assistance to up to 156,000 families and 13,800 small businesses to help them afford coverage.


• Improve Medicare for 93,000 beneficiaries, including closing the donut hole.


• Extend coverage to 44,000 uninsured residents.


• Guarantee that 10,300 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage.


• Protect 1,300 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs.


• Allow 49,000 young adults to obtain coverage on their parents' insurance plans.


• Provide millions of dollars in new funding for 39 community health centers.


• Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and other health care providers by $52 million annually.

The health reform vote is coming in the House. Representative John Boccieri (OH-16) needs to listen to us, not the insurance companies.

In Boccieri's district, the House's improvements to the Senate health reform bill will [pdf]:

• Improve coverage for 414,000 residents with health insurance.
• Give tax credits and other assistance to up to 167,000 families and 13,200 small businesses to help them afford coverage.
• Improve Medicare for 111,000 beneficiaries, including closing the donut hole.
• Extend coverage to 38,500 uninsured residents.
• Guarantee that 9,800 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage.
• Protect 1,700 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs.
• Allow 3 young adults to obtain coverage on their parents' insurance plans.
• Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and other health care providers by $56 million annually.

• Improve coverage for 356,000 residents with health insurance.


• Give tax credits and other assistance to up to 183,000 families and 11,700 small businesses to help them afford coverage.


• Improve Medicare for 111,000 beneficiaries, including closing the donut hole.


• Extend coverage to 59,500 uninsured residents.


• Guarantee that 12,300 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage.


• Protect 1,400 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs.


• Allow 49,000 young adults to obtain coverage on their parents' insurance plans.


• Provide millions of dollars in new funding for 8 community health centers.


• Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and other health care providers by $57 million annually.

I was honored to join President Obama for a rally in Ohio yesterday. He made his case about why we need to pass health insurance reform as soon as possible, and I couldn't agree more.

On the flight back to Washington aboard Air Force One, I thought about how the same community center in Strongsville where the President spoke was a site for my mobile office when I served in the House. Ohioans would come to share their stories about the problems they confronted trying to get affordable health care, or navigating the hopelessly tangled insurance system.

We've been debating this issue for generations. We've seen the situation only worsen over the past decade. We've been debating this bill for over a year. Good ideas from both sides of the aisle have been incorporated into our reform plan, and now it's time to give it the up-or-down vote it deserves.

We cannot wait. Ohio families and small businesses cannot afford to wait.

As I listened to the President speak yesterday, I looked from face to face in the audience, and it struck me -- we're closer than ever to passing real reform. For Ohioans and Americans suffering under the status quo, relief cannot come soon enough.

The time has come. We must finish this job. The American people have been waiting decades for real reform, and it's long past time we delivered.

I'm so grateful for all your support and hard work throughout this process. Thanks for all you do, for Ohio and our country.

Sincerely,


-Sherrod