Posted on 08/16/2009 6:48:36 AM PDT by Titus-Maximus
Ways and Means Committee Democrats Reject Amendment Designed to Limit Eligibility
(Washington, D.C. July 22, 2009) As estimates of the costs of President Obama’s national health care overhaul soar into the trillions of dollars, the powerful House Ways & Means Committee rejected an amendment last Friday that would have limited the taxpayers’ liability by ensuring that illegal aliens would not qualify for the bill’s health care benefits. In a straight party line vote, the committee’s 26 Democrats rejected an amendment offered by Rep. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) to the America’s Affordable Health Care Choices Act, H.R. 3200.
The Heller amendment would have required the federal government to use the database set up by the federal government for states to determine eligibility for welfare benefits to also ensure that illegal aliens do not enroll in the government-run public health insurance plan. It would also have barred illegal aliens from qualifying for tax credits to subsidize the purchase of private health insurance coverage.
The defeated Heller amendment would have required applicants for government provided or subsidized health care to demonstrate eligibility through the Income and Eligibility Verification System (IEVS) and the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) systems. Similarly, people seeking affordability credits from the government to subsidize the purchase of private insurance would also need to verify their eligibility through IEVS and SAVE. These provisions would have effectively barred illegal aliens from receiving taxpayer funded health care benefits.
“At a time when the federal government is running trillion dollar deficits, and the projected costs of the proposed health care overhaul seem to grow with each passing day, the committee that writes our tax laws wants Americans to pay for the health care costs of illegal aliens,” stated Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). “Given the opportunity to close loopholes that would cost the public billions of dollars each year, Democrats on the committee unanimously rejected an amendment that would bar illegal aliens from a national health care program.”
The vote by Ways and Means Democrats came the same week that a Zogby International poll found that 58 percent of Americans believe that excluding illegal aliens from national health coverage is an “excellent” or “very good” proposal for curbing costs. Only 20 percent said barring illegal aliens from coverage was a “poor” idea. The committee vote also occurred the same week that Massachusetts announced that it was cutting state subsidized health benefits to legal immigrants, as costs had spiraled beyond the state’s ability to pay.
“Ironically, immigration particularly illegal immigration has been one of the driving forces behind the growing number of medically uninsured,” Stein noted. “According to the Census Bureau, some 10 million noncitizens lack health coverage a figure that does not include their U.S.-citizen children who are also uninsured.
“Not only do congressional Democrats and the administration want to ignore the relationship between mass illegal immigration and the growing number of uninsured, they refuse to place any caps on how much American taxpayers should have to pay to provide health benefits to illegal aliens. When it comes to satisfying the demands of the illegal alien lobby, the administration and congressional leaders will spare no expense,” concluded Stein.
The 26 members of the House Ways & Means Committee opposing the amendment barring illegal aliens from coverage under the America’s Affordable Health Care Choices Act are:
Xavier Becerra (Calif.), Shelley Berkley (Nev.), Earl Blumenauer (Ore.), Joe Crowley (N.Y.), Artur Davis (Ala.), Danny Davis (Ill.), Lloyd Doggett (Texas), Bob Etheridge (N.C.), Brian Higgins (N.Y.), Ron Kind (Wis.), John Larson (Conn.), Sander Levin (Mich.), John Lewis (Ga.), Jim McDermott (Wash.), Kendrick Meek (Fla.), Richard Neal (Mass.), Bill Pascrell (N.J.), Earl Pomeroy (N.D.), Chairman Charlie Rangel (N.Y.), Linda Sanchez (Calif.), Allyson Schwartz (Pa.), Pete Stark (Calif.), John Tanner (Tenn.), Mike Thompson (Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (Md.), and John Yarmuth (Ky.).
This issue is not being hammered enough in the media. It is an outrage. Obama lied to Couric saying it was for children of illegals only, but in the bill it is for everyone and the Dems have rejected taking the language out. This issue could kill this bill.
.... not that she would have cared.
I’m sure Mexico would give me benefits.../s
And the children of illegals will grow up to become administrators and ‘deciders’ of who gets medical care. Isn’t that a wonderful plan ?
Let granny die and give health care to illegals and people who choose to not have health insurance.
This issue WILL kill the bill. It amazes me how many time the prez quotes the 49 million people w/o health insurance and how he casually glosses over the number of illegal immigrants in the “estimate”. Not to worry, he has already signaled that the next cause he is going to undertake is immigration reform.
This just pisses me off.
Children are used by illegals as tools for benefits and amnesty...In some european areas overseas women are coming specially when they are pregnants in order to get children born on european soil...
That kind of rule is stoopid.
Libtard frustrated african krypto muSSlim are ONLY DREAMING OF WEAKENING the western countries who fed them.
I think that their hate/frustration is great(the spirit of J.WRIGHT and OBAMA’s kenyan father is not dead)
And neither Obama nor Couric has read the bill. As a result, when either one comments on it, it’s the hat talking.
Open door to ACORN fraud pocketing money from like minded doctors. Fake people all with ACORN’s home office address.
Who will miss billions in a trillion dollar program?
That is why current system is broke. 3 people who work pay into it and 7 welfare rats (who never paid for such protection plans) and illegals leech from it.....it and this new socialist oh boo boo system are doomed to die on the vine if insurance, medical fraud and illegals aren’t dealt with now and every day after !
Polidiots and their handlers keep trying to save the world as we lose the USA !
Starve the beast ........vote with your dollars folks ! Careful what ya buy and where the profits from your cash are going. Know who is funding these asshats and do not give them one penny if at all possible . Invest in a tax sheltered plan versus letting IRS have as much, learn the tax game and claim EVERYTHING you can for deductibles legally.
My opinion.......
Look at the Democrats on the committee.... this explains everything.
Not to mention all of central America and Mexico crossing our borders for free healthcare. Absolute absurdity.
Looks like older people - including veterams? - are being sacrificed for people who are here illegally. Well, I guess we knew it would come to this. (No, I’m not anti-immigration - just anti-illegal activity, illegal immigration included). What better way to demolish the economy. Even if illegals weren’t included in this plan, it will be just like the public schools, only worse. There will never be anough money to fund it. Even if the government were to suck up every cent we all earn, it would not be enough. The needs will just continue to expand. There is no good way this plan can be effected. Obama knows it and he doesn’t like it that we know it too.
Illegals already get 'free' health care, that is why health care cost US what it does. Emergency Rooms around this nation are filled to the brim with illegals getting that health care. It is just a we bit twisted to have it now put into writing what is supposedly going to be when it already is.
A path to citizenship to create a permanent democratic majority and turning America into a third world sewer!
They’re getting free health care now, go to any Health Dept or ER & see who’s there. That’s why health care costs are soaring. To fix health care you must close the borders first.
Since health care is a right, I guess having food is a right too. If this bill passes, will they go after the food indusrty next?
Are republicans trumpeting this news on every network and to every person who will listen?? NO! Of course not!! That would be non-PC! It would require determination, guts, an actual BELIEF in something. Much safer to remain under one’s desk, isn’t it Juan McCain!
I agree with this bill they can fix social security, sweet tasting coolaide I mean pills, from the PharmaCos to end life saves not only health care dollars but SSI checks as well. And without ever having to deal with a vote on AMNESTY, some wise judge interpreting this bill can set the precedence that this bill fully interpreted means citizenship.
Universal health care was one of Hitlers first initiatives.
This lead to all the other Socialist programs.
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