Some Republicans to support 9/11 Health Bill?
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) seems confident she has found a way to get the Zadroga bill passed after it died last week. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) is already on board, and Snowe & Collins of Maine, as well as Murkowski of Alaska are believed to be votes as well. There is a fair amount of Fox News "fair and balanced" in this ABC report but at least the mainstream media is bothering to mention the root causes of this failure, perhaps shamed into it by Jon Stewart.
Via ABC News:
Senate Republicans last week derailed a bill that would provide $7.4 billion in health care and compensation to 9/11 responders and survivors, but Gillibrand today voiced confidence that the Senate will pass the bill in the next week, now that lawmakers have agreed on how to pay for the measure.
"We have the votes we need," Gillibrand said today at a press conference on Capitol Hill. "We've had indications from several Republicans that they very much want to vote for this bill.
"They would like to vote for a stand-alone bill," she said. "There is general agreement on a new pay-for that we're going to offer, so the hope is to get to the bill as soon as the START bill is completed."
And what is this face-saving move that will allow Republicans to vote for it? Susan Collins of Maine (again) details the Republican objections:
Collins is the GOP's point person on the matter, and has been working with Gillibrand to find new means to off-set the costs of the $7.4 billion bill.
"I support the 9/11 health bill on the merits, and I have talked with Senator Gillibrand about the need for legitimate ways of offsetting its cost," Collins said in a statement on Thursday. "If the Majority Leader were to bring the bill to the floor with appropriate offsets, I would support the legislation."
Gillibrand's new offer.
The off-set in the House-passed measure would close tax loopholes for foreign companies, a move that Collins has objected to on the grounds that it would violate international tax treaties.
Today Gillibrand said that the new off-set would be a 2 percent fee on procurement contracts for certain countries, combined with a visa fee.
As Think Progress noted, Collins and the Republicans reasons are completely bogus.
‘U.S.’ Chamber Of Commerce Lobbied To Help GOP Kill Bill To Provide Health Care To 9/11 First Responders
Last night, the Daily Show’s Jon Stewart skewered Republicans for killing deficit neutral legislation to provide health care to the 9/11 first responders and emergency workers who suffered illnesses from working at Ground Zero. He also mocked the celebrity-obsessed media that has completely ignored the story. Republicans, like Sen. John Thune (R-SD), filibustered the bill because they said tax cuts for the richest 2 percent were a higher priority for Congress. While Republicans quietly snuffed out efforts to compensate 9/11 heroes, they were aided by a quiet lobbying campaign by the powerful lobbying front — the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber fought to help kill the 9/11 compensation bill because it was funded by ending a special tax loophole exploited by foreign corporations doing business in the United States.
Apparently, according to Republicans even modest tax increases to foreign corporations is not legitimate anymore. "Whose side are you on?" indeed.
Indeed.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
Elected officials that vote against the best interests of the United States, and its people shall be deported after seizing all their wealth.
Now that the story is actually getting some traction in the media, thanks to Stewart. Republicans suddenly become motivated to actually do something before some of the dim bulbs in the country start to put 2 and 2 together and figure out that their Republican leaders are actually total scumbags without a shred of principle. Well at least no Republican politician suggested that 9-11 responders hold bake sales, or did I miss that?
Interesting that the US Chamber of Commerce wants to kill the first responders bill, when it is first responders who their members call after a holdup or when their place of business is on fire.
'Talk to the hand'
Let the MFers BURN
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." -- Robert E. Howard
Blowback is a MFer,
A congressional pay cut would be the perfect way to pay for it.
There has GOT to be a way to stick it to the Repukes. Charge them with treason or something.
They're definately not doing the work of the people.
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." -- Robert E. Howard
The behavior of the GOP unequivocally answers the age old philosophical question of whether or not "true evil" really exists in the World.
We can now say without the slightest reservation, that it most certainly does.
These people are fucking.Evil.
"To me, truth is not some vague, foggy notion. Truth is real. And,
at the same time, unreal. Fiction and fact and everything in between,
plus some things I can't remember, all rolled into one big "thing."
This is truth, to me. "
-Jack Handy
the Will Rogers of our time. Once again, it takes a comedian to act as the conscience of the Nation.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/chamber-co...
The reason the C of C opposed the bill was because is foreign members 'were afraid of higher tax bills' as a result.
They are the tool of FOREIGN powers. If SCOTUS now sides with the C of C by a huge percentage, it means that our highest court is being manipulated and controlled by foreign powers.
Isn't this the definition of treason?
And perhaps that is why they have made such a stink about not taking other countries' laws into consideration? Foreign companies want a free ride, without any need to obey laws here or there in their home countries.
MyMy
Money in the rich's hands is all the republicans in Congress and the Supreme Court care about. Notice that when republicans get in powere the first and only thing they do is mess with the Money! Tax cuts for the rich and Tax increases for the poor! Increased alcohol taxes, tax breaks for the rich. Increased taxes on gasoline, tax breaks for the rich, see a common thread? Cut taxes for unearened income for hedge funds but limit unemployment payments, bitch about food stamps but insist on tax breaks for the most affluent. Increase defense budget while insisting on eliminanting the Departpent of Education, insist on cuts to foreign aid while cutiing corporate tax rates that corporations aviod with loopholes alreadly given to them. The party can go go on but i'm bored with typing the obvious. PEACE
The love you take is equal to the love you make. John Lennon Paul Mc Cartney
Really? For 9/11 first responders? If they don't want to end a tax loophole for foreign corporations, how about they all take a pay cut and agree to donate 25% of the funds they raise for reelection. After nearly 10 years of "a noun, a verb and 9/11" they need to step up or STFU.
Republicans by nature are scum. Just scum.
Shameless fucking scum without conscience.
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