Thread: Rep. Wilson Outburst Leads Senate Dems to Close Loophole in

Rep. Wilson Outburst Leads Senate Dems to Close Loophole in Health Reform Bill

In the Senate, Democrats in the so called "Gang of Six," began moving quickly to close the loophole Rep. Joe Wilson helped bring to light with his outburst during President Obama's address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night.

The apologies are out of the way and the offense forgiven. But the underlying policy argument remains, after a Congressman drew fire from both sides of the aisle for his outburst during President Obama's speech Wednesday.

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., was criticized for interrupting Obama's address to a joint session of Congress to accuse the president of lying about his health care reform plan prohibiting coverage for illegal immigrants. Wilson quickly apologized, and the White House accepted the apology.

Wilson apologized again Thursday morning, though he also says a massive loophole could wind up in the health care bill: no requirement to prove citizenship for health care coverage.

Among three House committees to pass bills for health reform, only one expressly bans federal funding for proving health coverage to illegal immigrants.

"The Congressional Research Service has indicated that indeed the bills that are before Congress would include illegal aliens," Wilson said. "And I think this is wrong."

Indeed, the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service study found that the House health care bill does not restrict illegal immigrants from receiving health care coverage.

House Republican Minority Leader John Boehner amplified the complaint that without proof of citizenship, illegal immigrants could be insured.

"There were two opportunities for House Democrats to make clear that illegal immigrants wouldn't be covered by putting in requirements to show citizenships," he said. "Both of those amendments were, in fact, rejected."

In the Senate, Democrats in the so called "Gang of Six," a group of bipartisan senators on the Senate Finance Committee which is the last panel yet to release its bill, began moving quickly to close the loophole that Wilson helped bring greater attention to.

"We absolutely assure that those who are here illegally would not get the benefit of any of these initiatives," Sen. Kent Conrad said.

House Democrats have left open the option to sanction Wilson for violating a House rule that expressly prohibits members from accusing presidents of lying. But they signaled a preference to move ahead without further distraction.

"Let's not spend time on that," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. "Yes, there is a procedure that could have been implemented. I think that the president did the right thing: just continued on from it and didn't give it any more attention than it deserved."

FOX News' Carl Cameron contributed to this report.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09 ... th-reform/

"Let's not spend time on that," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. "Yes, there is a procedure that could have been implemented. I think that the president did the right thing: just continued on from it and didn't give it any more attention than it deserved."

Of course Nancy wants this to just go away. Continued rehashing of the act will only wake up more and more Americans and, hopefully, more congressional "leaders."

Judge Andrew Napolitano was on a show yesterday and stated that if an all inclusive health care bill was passed, it would be UNCONSTITUTIONAL to exclude illegal aliens from such coverage. In other words, no person residing in the U.S. could be excluded based on 'class', ie. 'documented/undocumented, legal/illegal

Any thoughts?

House Democrats have left open the option to sanction Wilson for violating a House rule that expressly prohibits members from accusing presidents of lying. But they signaled a preference to move ahead without further distraction.

"Let's not spend time on that," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. "Yes, there is a procedure that could have been implemented. I think that the president did the right thing: just continued on from it and didn't give it any more attention than it deserved."

Of course they "signaled a preference to move ahead.." Because Wilson called Obama on it!!! LOVE IT!!

How do you sanction someone for exposing a falsehood or lie? Was any Rep. sanctioned when he/she called Bush a liar? Was Harry Reid sanctioned for calling Bush a liar?

Scary Nan does not want to go there.

Joe Wilson put the spotlight on illegal immigration issues that the msm has refused to cover. Msm can't keep it quiet now, LOVE IT!!

Thank you JOE!!!

Do you think any liberals woke up?

Originally Posted by vmonkey56

Do you think any liberals woke up?

lol NOPE!

Originally Posted by vmonkey56

Do you think any liberals woke up?

Nahh, sure hope more fence-sitters did tho.

Thank you Rep Joe Wilson for pointing out the "loophole". Maybe Obama and the dems didnt read the bill.

Moving from OTHER TOPICS to the ALIPAC news section since this involves our key topics of illegal immigration and Congressman Joe Wilson.

Please place articles that are off of our topics in the OTHER TOPICS section.

Moving now.

W

Glad to see some in Congress caught with their pants down.
And butterbean, no one reads a bill before voting on it, from what I have heard from even state legislators--no time, as they are too busy campaigning.