House Sends Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) to President

From   The Gavel

May 1st, 2008 by Jesse Lee

The House has just concurred in Senate amendments to H.R. 493, Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act by a vote of 414-1. This landmark bill would prohibit health insurance companies and employers from discriminating against people on the basis of genetic test results. By prohibiting the improper use of genetic information, this bill encourages Americans to undergo testing necessary for early treatment and prevention of genetic-based diseases. House passage today sends this bill to the President’s desk for his signature. The House originally passed the bill by a vote of 420 to 3 on April 25, 2007. The Senate passed the bill with relatively minor amendments and clarifications on April 24, 2008 by a vote of 95 to 0. House passage today sends this landmark bill to the President’s desk for his signature.

Technorati Tags: healthcare,The House,The Senate,GINA,George Bush

Appropriations Chairman Obey Responds to President’s Veto Threat

  As you probably all know, Resident Bush is threatening to veto the new Iraq war bill because the punk doesn't like a few other appropriations that have been added to it. Namely, that would be the expansion of the GI Bill to bring it up into the 21 century, and the extension of unemployment benefits to workers whose benefits have expired.

April 30th, 2008 by Jesse Lee

From the Appropriations Committee:

Obey Responds to Veto Threat

WASHINGTON – Dave Obey (D-WI), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, responded to yet another veto threat from a President unwilling to work with Congress to help veterans and the unemployed.

“The President is asking us to provide $108 billion in additional spending for the war in Iraq this year and almost $70 billion in additional war spending for next year, yet this morning he said that he would veto our efforts to expand the GI Bill for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and to extend unemployment benefits for workers who’s benefits have been exhausted.

“Those two items cost less than one-tenth of what the President wants to spend in Iraq.

“The President seems to think that he can issue pronouncements like the great Yoda, and that the American people and the Congress will comply with his insistence to provide billions for the war in Iraq, but table scraps – or less – for war fighters and workers at home.

“That is not the way a democracy is supposed to work. In the Congress we will continue to press forward to meet our domestic and international obligations across the board. This is not the time for the President to hold his breath and turn blue. It’s time for reasonable adults to compromise for the good of the country.”  The Gavel

  bush will veto this bill, and as it seems right now, he has Senator John McCain's backing. McCain has not signed on to this bill yet.

Technorati Tags: George Bush,GI Bill,Dave Obey,veterans,Iraq,Afghanistan,John McCain