Lawmakers Give Healthcare Reform Mixed Reviews During Hospital Association Conference

By Chingyu Wang
Talk Radio News Service

While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) thanked members of the American Hospital Association (AHA) during its their annual conference Tuesday for supporting the Democratic health care reform bill, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) reminded the audience that "you and I found ourselves on a different page."

The AHA, a national organization formed by almost 5,000 hospitals and medical care providers and 37,000 individual members, displayed packets during the conference that praised the new health care reform law for expanding health coverage to an estimated 32 million Americans in the next ten years.

Citing a new report by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Cornyn told members of the audience that health care costs will rise to $311 billion by the year 2020, and said his "biggest disappointment" with the law is that it will worsen America's long term fiscal situation.

Pelosi, on the other hand, said hospitals stand to benefit the most from the new law due to "32 million patients [having] an insurance card...fewer uncompensated emergency room visits...[and] reduced costs and improving care."

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who followed the Speaker, discussed the case of Well Point Inc. attempting to decline health coverage to breast cancer patients, and called on the AHA to help discourage such "illegal" behavior on the part of insurance companies.

Pelosi Touts Tax Cuts

By Justine Rellosa- Talk Radio News Service

On Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) addressed how the Recovery Act influenced 2010 Tax Day outcomes.

"It is important to note on this day that 36 percent of the Recovery Act went to tax cuts. Tax cuts for the middle-class, tax cuts for small businesses tax cuts for green energy jobs for the future," commented Pelosi. "Refunds are up 10 percent, averaging about $3,000 [per] tax payer and 98 percent of Americans will receive a tax cut for 2009."

The Speaker said the third quarter report given by President Barack Obama yesterday estimates that the Recovery Bill saved or created up to 2.5 million jobs. However, she says Democrats are waiting for more legislation to open up more jobs for Americans.

"There are many indicators of turnaround in our economy, but still, many people do not have jobs so our focus was on the legislation ... for further job creation," she said.

Pelosi echoed the sentiments expressed recently by Bruce Bartlett, a former Reagan Policy Advisor, on tax reductions under Obama.

"Federal taxes are considerably lower, by every measure, since Obama became President," she said.

Former House Majority Leader Unleashes Armey Of Attacks On Democrats

By Benny Martinez
University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas) called the Tea Party movement an effort to return the Republican Party to its grassroots spirit, and chided lawmakers for passing “panic legislation" in the more than eight years since the attacks of September 11, 2001.

During a luncheon Monday at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Armey, CEO of the organization FreedomWorks, defended the Tea Party movement at length, criticizing the leadership of the Democratic party for failing to earn the support of the public. He blasted the Democratic agenda, especially healthcare reform, saying “[Democrats] will get politically bounced” if their bill passes.

For good measure, Armey used the word “inept” to describe the leadership style of current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)

Responding to criticism that his organization has helped create an environment of obstruction over key legislative items, Armey attributed the failure to get health reform done to Democrats “accustomed to doing sloppy work."

"I don’t think they have left within them the skills to do the disciplined, hard work that such ventures require," he added.

While the former Congressman did say that he believes President Barack Obama will get the votes necessary to pass health reform, he criticized the undertaking.

“They are ineptly trying to do the wrong thing.”

House Will Strip Antitrust Protection For Health Insurance Companies, Says Pelosi

By Chingyu Wang - Talk Radio News Service

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Tuesday that she and other Democrats in the House will try to pass the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act tomorrow. The bill would remove antitrust protections for the major health insurance companies.

"This bill is about restoring competition, fairness, and choice to the health insurance industry. After 65 years, it is now time for the unfair advantage insurance companies have held over American families and small businesses to end," said Pelosi. "We have set a better legislation. It's about affordability for the middle class, it's about accessibility of many more people to health care, and affordability is central to that."

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said he is optimistic about the bill's chances of passing when it is brought to the House floor tomorrow.

"I'm confident it'll pass, and I surely hope that it passes with a significant bipartisan vote," said Hoyer.

Former insurance executive Wendell Potter viewed the legislation as a major step toward ending what he described as the profit domination of seven major companies in the health insurance field.

"In my view it's a beginning comprehensive reform that will benefit average Americans, working individuals and families more than the big insurance companies," said Potter.

Pelosi: House To Vote On Jobs Bill Next Week

By Leah Valencia, University of New Mexico- Talk Radio News Service

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Thursday that the House of Representatives will pass a job package next week in an effort to battle the rising unemployment rate.

Pelosi said that the bill will focus on extending unemployment benefits, give aid to local and state governments, help small businesses and boost infrastructure spending.

"Whether we can get all of that, I don't know, but that's what I would like to see next week," Pelosi said during her weekly press conference.

She indicated a definite urgency in passing an extension that would safety-net unemployment insurance and the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), both programs that are due to expire at the end of this year.

Unemployment in November charted at 10%.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Tuesday that the cost of the jobs package could range from $75 billion to $150 billion.