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Dems put more pressure on GOP lawmakers with federal healthcare
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03/14/11 01:12 PM ET
Supporters of the Democrats' healthcare reform law are calling on all lawmakers to disclose whether they receive congressional health benefits, part of an ongoing effort to portray Republican opponents as hypocrites for receiving government-subsidized care.
A handful of House Democrats are backing a resolution that would require all members of Congress to disclose whether they receive health insurance through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. A number of high-profile Democrats, including Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, and progressive groups have routinely hammered House Republicans for accepting government health benefits while opposing the reform law.
"As Republicans continue their efforts to repeal and defund the health care law, the public has a right to know if members who are trying to take away the American people’s access to high-quality, affordable health insurance are, in turn, taking taxpayer-subsidized health benefits for themselves," write Reps. Joseph Crowley (N.Y.), Donna Edwards (Md.), Tim Ryan (Ohio) and Linda Sanchez (Calif.).
More than a dozen of the 87 House freshmen have declined congressional health insurance.
Democrats have tried to use the argument to their advantage after freshman Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) reportedly complained in November about how long he would have to wait to receive his congressional health benefits. Last week, Harris said he would keep his private insurance instead.
Crowley used Harris's decision to again needle Republicans on their opposition to healthcare reform.
"Good for you, Mr. Harris, for having a back-up plan, but what about the 30 million uninsured Americans who don’t have any health care coverage?" Crowley said last week. "I don’t know many Americans who have such an assortment of health care options."
A handful of House Democrats are backing a resolution that would require all members of Congress to disclose whether they receive health insurance through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. A number of high-profile Democrats, including Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, and progressive groups have routinely hammered House Republicans for accepting government health benefits while opposing the reform law.
"As Republicans continue their efforts to repeal and defund the health care law, the public has a right to know if members who are trying to take away the American people’s access to high-quality, affordable health insurance are, in turn, taking taxpayer-subsidized health benefits for themselves," write Reps. Joseph Crowley (N.Y.), Donna Edwards (Md.), Tim Ryan (Ohio) and Linda Sanchez (Calif.).
More than a dozen of the 87 House freshmen have declined congressional health insurance.
Democrats have tried to use the argument to their advantage after freshman Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) reportedly complained in November about how long he would have to wait to receive his congressional health benefits. Last week, Harris said he would keep his private insurance instead.
Crowley used Harris's decision to again needle Republicans on their opposition to healthcare reform.
"Good for you, Mr. Harris, for having a back-up plan, but what about the 30 million uninsured Americans who don’t have any health care coverage?" Crowley said last week. "I don’t know many Americans who have such an assortment of health care options."
