O’Neill Pans LaTourette, Democratic Congress and President Bush over Children’s Health Care Fight
'Washington must be out to prove who doesn’t get it more,’ pediatric nurse congressional candidate says
CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio – The U.S. House of Representatives fell short again yesterday in its attempt to override President Bush’s veto of the expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), once again failing to give more children access to health care. Bill O’Neill, who works nights as a registered nurse in a pediatric emergency room, issued the following statement:
“I continue to be offended at the partisan bickering in Congress on an issue that nearly everyone in this country can agree on: children’s health care. From President Bush’s obstinate veto of a bill that expands health care to 3.4 million children to the Democratic Congress’ compromise to cut out 1.6 million children from the legislation to Steve LaTourette’s political high-wire act to support one SCHIP bill but not another – everyone in Washington must be out to prove who doesn’t get it more.
“There’s something sickening about our representatives in Washington – all of whom have access to top-notch health care on the taxpayer’s dime – squabbling about which children deserve to be covered and which don’t. Every night I work in the pediatric ER, I see the human side of this fight that Washington is forgetting. It's one of the reasons I decided to run for Congress.
“As a congressman I will never compromise on the principle that everyone has a fundamental right to guaranteed health care, and I will never vote to shut 1.6 million children out from a health insurance program. This is personal for me, and it’s about time it was personal for our leaders in Washington.”
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