Ninth District Rep. Baron Hill is asking for comments and concerns from constituents regarding House Resolution 3962 — The Affordable Health Care for America Act.
The bill was unveiled Thursday by House Democratic leadership. It’s a product of three separate bills passed by the House energy and commerce, education and labor and ways and means committees.
“I am not entirely sure when the House will vote on H.R. 3962,” Hill, a Democrat, stated in a news release. “But I am still preparing as if the vote will be called soon.”
House Democratic leaders are pushing for the legislation to be voted on Saturday.
Hill said he’s reviewed the bill line-by-line in preparation for the vote. He’s not stated how he will vote on the measure, but said Thursday some of the language of the plan is encouraging as it relates to the 9th District.
“According to these estimates, the bill will allow several thousand small businesses in Southern Indiana to obtain affordable health care coverage for their employees, and provide tax credits to help reduce health insurance costs for a similarly significant number,” Hill said.
President Barack Obama said Congress is closer to passing health care reform than ever before Thursday. That announcement came after the AARP and the American Medical Association endorsed the House plan.
“Now that the doctors and medical professionals of America are standing with us, now that the organizations charged with looking out for the interests of seniors are standing with us, we are even closer,” Obama said.
Opponents of the bill continue to warn of government controlled health care and the expense it could entail.
“Baron Hill’s support for a massive health care takeover would be nothing more than a spineless attempt to appease his party bosses,” stated National Republican Congressional Committee Communications Director Ken Spain in a news release.
He called possible Hill support of the bill “a shameful tactic that will lead to higher costs for a struggling middle class, force Medicare cuts for seniors and mandate that Indiana taxpayers comply with a partisan ploy for more government control.”
But Hill said small business workers are paying more for premiums than those of large firms.
“I have heard from numerous Southern Indiana small business owners who want to provide coverage for their employees and cannot afford to, or who currently provide coverage but cannot sustain the rate at which the premiums are so rapidly increasing,” he said.
Reports from the Associated Press contributed to this story.
Clark County
Hill still weighing health care bill; house could vote Saturday
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Half of Jeffersonville Fire Department overtime budget already gone
During the closing moments of the meeting Councilman Matt Owen said he was shocked by Mayor Moore’s plans and comments pertaining to two Jeffersonville Parks and Recreation Department matters reported in the News and Tribune during the last week.
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Charlestown resident makes appeal for filtration plant
“I understand that manganese is a secondary contaminant and it’s not something that’s necessarily harmful to health,” Burchett said. “I would much prefer that the water that comes into my home have as little manganese in it as possible, as well as anything else. I just want water.”
Continued ... - News and Tribune briefs for Feb. 7, 2012
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Student sues to wear breast cancer bracelet
An Indiana eighth-grader sued his school district in federal court Monday for the right to wear a bracelet promoting breast cancer awareness with the message “I (heart) Boobies.”
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Elderly man robbed outside Jeffersonville bank
The man returned to his car and sat down to close the car door when Williams grabbed the door and reached inside the vehicle, Hollis said.
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A fair fee? Indiana imposing fees for 4-H participants for the first time
Allen said his hope is the fee being charged by the state and the county will be enough to cover costs and that 4-H members will not be asked to cover any more expenses.
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“They have never had to pay a program fee,” Allen said. - News and Tribune briefs for Feb. 6, 2012
- Feb 5, 2012
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CAPITOL CROSSROADS: Bauer tactics unite, divide outnumbered Dems
Democrats like Rep. Peggy Welch, who was drawn into a more Republican district last year, refused to boycott with Bauer.
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Greater Clark begins Fitness Calendar Challenge
Teresa Stengel, health services coordinator, said if other family members get involved with students, children might be more likely to continue with exercise routines and watching their diets.
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Man struck, killed on I-65
The preliminary investigation shows Jones was struck by a northbound Chevrolet Penske rental van driven by Patrick Shroering, 26, of Mount Washington, Ky.
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