A CALL to Action with Congressman Blackburn

Yesterday afternoon, while waiting to pick up our daughter from Lipscomb, I participated in a conference call with Congressman Marsha Blackburn. I sat in my truck, with the windows open, listening to the chatter and laughter of students milling about and watching the colorful foliage swirl about....very relaxing.

This serene atmosphere was in stark contrast to the maelstrom building in Washington after Tuesday's election results and the build-up to this weekend's possible healthcare House vote.

John Scott, Ben Cunningham, Ken Marrero, and yours truly took part in this Q & A chat that went for about 30 minutes (ending just before Chatty C bounced into the truck).

Congressman Blackburn (remember she prefers this title) highlighted the Health Care Bill's growing waistline and its creation of a mammoth government structure.

1. House Schedule - Debate beginning Friday afternoon with an endgame vote on Saturday.


2. Important Opposition Rally today at 12 PM on the Capitol steps


3. $1.2 to $2.4 TRILLION estimated cost over 10 years.


4. Employer dis-incentives to provide private insurance for their employees, possibly causing over 114 million Americans to lose their private insurance plans.


5. The Standard Growth Rate is NOT affixed to this bill (hiding another $240 Billion in cost)


6. Not PATIENT-CENTERED and ANTI- FREE MARKET.

She stressed the importance of calling all of our Congressional representation to shore up the opposition and sway the fence sitters of this proposed legislation.

A follow-up on the bill's more defined schedule is to be sent out and circulated today, hopefully.

All said, an encouraging chat with a member of Congress that can talk articulately with pundits of the national media in Washington and comfortably and candid with the folk that live in her district in Tennessee.

Marsha Blackburn on the House Health Care Bill
Posted on November 4, 2009 by rightathomeblog

Nancy Pelosi’s current plan is for debate to begin Friday on the $2.4 trillion House health care plan, and for the bill to be voted on Saturday.

In a conference call with Tennessee bloggers today, Rep. Marsha Blackburn stated that she is concerned with the effect that unfunded mandates currently contained in the House healthcare bill will have on the Tennessee state budget, hospitals in Tennessee, and delivery of health care in our communities. As a result, she says she plans to offer an amendment to the bill this weekend on behalf of every Tennessee taxpayer that would ban all unfunded mandates in the bill.

While the Democratic leadership may allow amendments to be offered, they probably will not accept any except the GOP alternative bill.

Congressman Blackburn reiterated her concerns regarding the cost of the bill, with the latest estimates running at as much as $2.4 trillion dollars when fully implemented over ten years. She says that will raise taxes, and will increase the burden on Tennessee as Medicaid eligibility increases. There are also additional costs – likely around another $245 billion – that will run as a separate piece of legislation since the decision has been made not to include the SGR fix in the bill.

Continue.....

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If you are able to come to Washington, DC, we encourage you to attend Congresswoman Michele Bachmann's National Congressional House Call on the West Front Steps of the U.S. Capitol (House Side) from 12:00-1:00pm. Click here to watch Congresswoman Bachmann's invitation to the Congressional House Call.

The final battle in the House is this Friday and Saturday. It's crunch time and if you are going to make your voice heard, this "Congressional House Call" is it. Make sure to download the Patients First Reform Prescription .