The election of Scott Brown to the Senate in Massachusetts and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's admission that she doesn't have the votes in the House to pass the Senate bill mean that it will most likely have to go back to the drawing board.   However, we must remain vigilant and continue to let our Congressmen and Senators know that we strongly disapprove of both the House and Senate proposals.

The U.S. Senate voted early on Christmas Eve to approve their version of health insurance reform, 60-39.   In the days leading up to the new year, the battle now shifts to a search for consensus between the House and Senate.  The district offices of U.S. Representatives need to be contacted and if possible, visited next week, urging opposition to this bill for several reasons, including abortion funding, rationing of services, and the large amount of taxes and debt that will accompany costs  of $2.5-3 trillion dollars to implement this plan over the next ten years.

All 58 Democrats and the 2 independents voted for the bill. 39 of the 40 Republicans voted against it.   Senator Jim Bunning from Kentucky, who is retiring at the end of this Congress, did not vote.
Here are more details on the vote from Fox News.     This was the first Senate roll call vote held on Christmas Eve since 1895.

On December 21,  the U.S. Senate voted 60-40 to approve a cloture vote to end debate on health care and proceed toward a final vote.  All 58 Democrats and the 2 independents voted for cloture and all 40 Republicans opposed it.   The final vote is now expected to happen between now and Christmas Eve.   Here are more details on the vote from Fox News and from The Washington Times.

If approved, a conference committee would have to work out differences between the House and Senate versions.

Earlier, the Senate voted November 21  to proceed with debate on the health care bill, 60-39.  All of the Democrats and Independents voted for it and every Republican voted against it with the exception of Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio), who did not cast a vote.     Debate is continuing in the Senate right now, with a vote expected before Christmas.

The U.S. House voted Saturday, November 7, to approve a nineteen pound, 1,990 page health care bill by a vote of 220-215.  One Republican, Rep. Joseph Cao, who represents part of New Orleans, joined 219 of the 238 of the House Democrats in voting for the bill.   Find out how your Congressman voted here. There was also a vote prior to this that involves funding of abortions.   See LifeNews.com's report on this here.

While some may envy the "free" health care of Canada or Europe, the truth is that the people pay for it through much higher taxes and significantly lower take home pay.    There is also much evidence that the health care systems in both Canada and Europe are in danger.  Private health plans are being developed in England in an attempt to save the public system.  People there often face four hour waits for emergency health care.   In Canada, some have waited four years to have a major surgery.   On our daily radio program on June 16, Dr. Frank Rosenbloom said that government isn't the solution to the high costs of health care, it's the cause.

ACTION STEPS:

1. Let your two U.S. Senators know what you think about health care through the Congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121 and through district office numbers.

2. Send Fax Petitions to Congress

3. Senators that most need to hear from us

Senator Jim Webb's office numbers are  202-224-4024 in Washington; 804-771-2221 in Richmond, 540-772-4236 in Roanoke, 757-518-1674 in Virginia Beach, 703-807-0581 in Arlington, 276-679-4925 in Norton, and 434-792-0976 in Danville.

Call Sen. Blanche Lincoln at 202-224-4843 in Washington, 501-375-2993 in Little Rock, 479-251-1224 in Fayetteville, 870-774-3106 in Texarkana; 870-910-6896 in Jonesboro; and 870-382-1023 in Dumas.

Senator Dorgan can be reached at 202-224-2551 in Washington, 701-250-4618 in Bismarck, 701-239-5389 in Fargo, 701-852-0703 in Minot, and 701-746-8972 in Grand Forks.

Then, make a call to Call Senator Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska) and ask him why he sold out and urge him to come around and reject the bill.   His Washington number is 202-224-6551 and his district offices inlclude Lincoln at 402-441-4600, Omaha at 402-391-3411, Scottsbluff at 308-631-7614, Kearney at 308-293-5818, and South Sioux City at 402-209-3595. Fax his Washington office at 202-228-0012, Lincoln at 402-476-8753 and Omaha at 402-391-4725.

Other Senators to call:

Sen. Mark Warner (Virginia)  804-739-0247, 757-441-3079, and 276-628-8158

Sen. Mark Pryor (Arkansas)  501-324-6336

Sen. Jon Tester (Montana)  406-449-5401, 406-252-0550, 406-728-3003, 406-452-9585, 406-586-4450, 406-723-3277, 406-257-3360, and 406-365-2391

Sen. Joe Lieberman (Connecticut)  860-549-8463

Sen. Michael Bennet (Colorado)  303-455-7600, 719-587-0096, 719-328-1100, 970-224-2200, 970-542-9446, 970-241-6631, 970-259-1710, and 719-542-7550

Sen. Mark Begich (Alaska)  907-271-5915 and 907-456-0261

4. Call Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Michigan) at 202-225-4735 and urge him to stand against making any compromise, as Senator Nelson did under political pressure.  Urge him to firmly reject the Senate version of the bill.

Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt is urging calls be made to 37 Congressmen to stand for life and against the Senate health bill when it comes to them for a vote:  They are as follows: Baca, Berry, Bishop (GA), Cao, Cardoza, Carney, Cooper, Costa, Costello, Cuellar, Dahlkemper, Davis (IL), Donnelly (IN), Doyle, Driehaus, Ellsworth, Etheridge, Kanjorski, Kaptur, Langevin, Lipinski, Lynch, Oberstar, Obey, Ortiz, Perriello, Pomeroy, Rahall, Reyes, Rodriguez,  Ryan (OH),  Salazar,  Snyder,  Space,  Spratt,  Stupak, and Wilson (OH). All of them can be reached through the Congressional switchboard at 202-225-3121

5. Sign the "Free Our Health Care Now" Petition

6.. Let other people know the dangers of a more socialized system of medicine.   The resources listed below may be of some help in doing this.

Additional Resources on the Government Takeover of Health Care:

The Health Care Chart They Don't Want You to See

Sign the "Free Our Health Care Now" Petition

Liberty Counsel's Summary of the Health Care Bill  (PDF)

Here are two of our F2A Commentaries on this subject:

Threat to Parental Rights (August 6, 2009)
A threat to parental rights.

That’s just one of many problems with the rationed health care system that the President and some in Congress want.   The bill would authorize spending of billions of dollars to fund home visitation programs.   And do you have any guess what these visitation programs are all about?   Government officials would enter homes to monitor children and instruct parents on how to raise their children. 

As the Home School Legal Defense Association states in an analysis of the bill, “parents, not federal or state officials, should make child-rearing decisions for their young children.” 

Let your Congressman and Senators know that this is one of the many reasons H.R. 3200 should not be passed at their town hall meetings listed at f2a.org. 

Sources for some content:
“H.R. 3200—‘America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009,’”  Home School Legal Defense Association

Paying with Your Life (June 16, 2009)
For all those struggling to pay insurance premiums or lacking coverage, any change in the health care system may seem to be good.    Over the next few weeks, we’ll hear dozens of stories from those who think they’ll be helped by the President’s plan as he tries to sell it to Congress and the nation.

But, consider some of the tremendous costs that each of us will face under a more socialized system.  Are you willing to pay much higher taxes to cover the trillion dollar costs expected over the next decade?  Do you really want a four year wait for a major surgery as in Canada or a four hour wait time for emergency care as in England?  Do you like government officials deciding who will be your doctor, your specialist, and more importantly, whether you even deserve to receive life-saving treatment?  

You could pay for this health care plan with your life!

Sources for some content / Where you can learn more:

Obama Urges Doctors to Back Health Care Plans  (Associated Press, 6.15.09)

Raise Quality Further (The Washington Times, 6.15.09)

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (1)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

LMFT, Sr Ordained Licensed Chaplain
written by Wendy Petzel, November 19, 2009

To whom it may concern: I was wondering what you feel would be the most effective way for us to display our opposition of this health care bill? I agree with all the action items above and will follow through with them.

What about a march on Washington in opposition? something creative like you've done before, that's what I want to pray God will give us to make the message loud and clear. that we oppose government run health care.

• 
• +0
• 
•