Democrat Lee To Texas Attorney General: Shame On You!

By Chingyu Wang
Talk Radio News Service

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) accused attorneys general who have filed suit against the "Patient Protection and Affordable Act" of treating sick Americans as second class citizens.

"The lawsuits remind me of the approach that was taken as the Civil Rights Movement was able to exercise its authority," said Lee. "State rights activists wanted to use the Commerce Clause then. African American were second class citizens. Now, sick Americans seem to be second class citizens. So I would say to them, shame on them...to use these kinds of tactics to marginalize and permanently declare there is a second class status for Americans who happen to sick," scolded Lee.

Lee took a swipe at Texas Attorney General (AG) Greg Abbott, one of 13 AG's across the U.S. that claim the new law is unconstitutional, accusing him of "seeking to circumvent Federal law because he is of the opposite political party."

The AG's are challenging that a provision within the law that requires individuals and businesses to purchase health insurance or else pay a fine violates the nation's 10th Amendment.

Lee, however, said "the Federal government has the authority to legislate a health insurance mandate under the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution...Congress can avoid legal challenges related to the 10th Amendment and states' rights by pre-empting state insurance laws and implementing the mandate on a federal level."

"Why, when you have a bill that will provide 100% Medicaid reimbursement the first year, 95% the second year and 90% the third year, are you suggesting that your states will lose billions or millions of dollars?" Lee asked. "Why do you rebut and refute the opportunity for relief."

Hoyer: House Prepared To Vote On Reconciliation Bill Again

By Chingyu Wang-Talk Radio News Service

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told reporters Tuesday that if the Senate alters the reconciliation bill passed by the lower-chamber Sunday night, the House is ready to vote on the package of amendments again.

"Our members are prepared to vote again," Hoyer said.

According to the rules governing Congress, any change made to the reconciliation bill by the Senate would require the bill to be re-approved by the House.

Hoyer said that he expects the Senate to act soon.

"Expect the Senate to be able to approve [the reconciliation bill] before the end of the week,” the Majority Leader said.

Hoyer also shot back at Republican criticism Tuesday, stating that healthcare reform “is not a government takeover" and will have positive effects on all Americans immediately.

“These bills reach broader and deeper and will have positive effects on every American’s life,” said Hoyer.

“Starting right away, tax credits will be available for small businesses and there will be relief for seniors who fall into the Medicare prescription drug 'donut hole' gap in their coverage,” Hoyer explained.

GOP Head Vows That Health Care Fight Is Not Over

By Chingyu Wang-Talk Radio News Service

House Republican Conference chair Mike Pence (R-Ind.) told reporters Tuesday that House Republicans will continue to fight against the health care legislation that was passed on Sunday and signed into law two days later.

“We are disappointed with the outcome of the vote on Sunday night; we are determined to continue to take our case against this government takeover of healthcare to the American people,” said Pence.

“This fight is not over,” Pence added.

House Republican Conference Vice Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wa.), who joined Pence, stressed that the legislation will place an economic burden on Americans.

“This bill is going to add more taxes, more requirements on our small businesses. Premiums are continuing to escalate; and CBO estimates that under the bill that just passed, premiums will increase between 10% -13%,” said Rodgers.

Stepping away from health care, Pence addressed the administration's relationship with Israel, notably the settlement issue.

“The time has come for this administration to stop bullying Israel. The whole suggestion that the construction of settlements in undisputed areas of Jerusalem is somehow an affront to the United States, or an affront to the peace process, is absurd,” said Pence.

Petraeus Open To Ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

By Chingyu Wang
Talk Radio News Service

U.S. Gen. David Petraeus, Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said on Tuesday that he is open to a review of the military's controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

“I believe the time has come to consider a change to DADT,” he said.

Regarding Iran, he said CENTCOM is networking with other countries that are concerned about Iran’s nuclear project and who hope to prevent it from growing.

“The Iranian regime continues its nuclear program. Indeed, Iran is assessed by many analysts to be engaged in pursuing nuclear weapon capability,” said Petraeus. “[Iran] is likely to spur a regional arms race.”

To prevent a nuclear war, Petraeus said CENTCOM has been working on building regional security architecture in that region to establish “security relationships and partnerships" between nations that share concern over Iran.

On Afghanistan, Petraeus said that in roughly 18 months from now, the total number of American troops in Afghanistan will top 139,000.

Meanwhile, American forces in Iraq are expected to be reduced from 97,000 to 50,000 by the end of August 2010, he said.

For Democrats, Health Reform Isn't About Fixing The System, Says Gregg

By Chingyu Wang
Talk Radio News Service

Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) said Thursday that, for Democrats, policy has taken a backseat to politics in the ongoing debate over health care reform.

"This dialogue right now is no longer about substance, it's no longer about the purposes, it's just about 'I need to win because I need to win, because I need to win,'" said Gregg. "They see a loss as being a loss of credibility, it's no longer about the policy or the effectiveness or really about health care."

By metaphorically referring to the nation as a defibrillator, Gregg said on Thursday that his biggest concern over healthcare reform is the $500 billion worth of cuts to Medicare Democrats are proposing, which in his view is significant to the economy.

Medicare's $38 trillion fund "is the power source for defibrillator when we have this fiscal cardiac arrest as a nation," said Gregg. "And if you use it up now to create new entitlements...you know we're going to aggravate the cardiac arrest. Then the defibrillator has no energy."

Gregg added, however, that Medicare spending should "absolutely" be adjusted to make it solvent.

On the possibility of Democrats using reconciliation to pass reform, Gregg labeled it as a tool by which the Democrats can "buy the votes to pass the big bill."

"Reconciliation, by its definition, [means] you have to change a law," said Gregg. "You can't reconcile a bill that is not passed."

"It was never created for the purposes of doing policy."