November 13th, 2009

Today’s news features stories about U.S. Representatives Altimore, Holden, and Dent.

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, a story about Rep. Altmire being “assailed” over his vote against reform:

Dozens of activists gathered at Rep. Jason Altmire’s Aliquippa office yesterday to assail the Democrat for his vote against the House version of a bill to revamp the nation’s health care system.

Reading from a copy of a letter she had sent to the second-term congressman, Charlene Gill said, “Your ‘no’ vote is the reason I will vote for whoever runs against you.”

The New Castle retiree won a smattering of applause from the crowd of about 35 as she continued, “I hope the insurance industry you’re trying to protect gives you your old job back.”

Mr. Altmire, a former congressional staffer, was a government relations executive for UPMC before winning his House seat in a district that includes Beaver County and many of the suburban communities north of Pittsburgh.

Mr. Altmire voted against an earlier version of the House measure in committee. And while he said that the version that prevailed narrowly over the weekend was an improvement in some respects, he said in a statement that he was disappointed in what he characterized as its failure to provide meaningful reform.

“This bill is inadequate in two key areas that are critical to meaningful health care reform: cost containment and delivery system reform,” he said, while emphasizing that he would work for the enactment of a more acceptable measure.

[Read more at the Post-Gazette.]

From the Patriot-News, a story on Rep. Holden:

Harrisburg City Councilman Dan Miller joined about 50 people outside of U.S. Rep. Tim Holden’s Harrisburg office Thursday morning to protest his vote against the health care overhaul bill passed by the House of Representatives last week.

Carrying signs criticizing Holden and health insurance companies, the protesters walked in front of Holden’s North Front Street office for 30 minutes.

Later, a small group went inside to present Holden’s staff with letters, which supported their cause and were written by health care professionals, small-business owners and patients.

“I like Tim. I don’t really want to protest against him,” Miller said. “But he has to do the right thing.”

Miller, who last week was elected the city’s comptroller, said health care reform goes beyond party politics.

“He has to do what is right for America, not what will get him re-elected,” Miller said, calling it perhaps “the most important vote in Holden’s whole career.”

[Read more at the Patriot.]

And from the Express-Times, a story on Rep. Dent:

For three months, Rep. Charlie Dent’s campaign has accused his Democratic opponent, Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan, of dodging the issue of health care reform.

On Thursday, Dent got his answer in person when Callahan joined a rally outside of Dent’s Bethlehem office criticizing the Republican for voting against the House bill passed this week that expands health insurance coverage and places restrictions on insurance providers.

The country is in dire need of health care reform, Callahan told the crowd of 50 gathered outside Dent’s office.

“If we don’t act, things are going to get worse,” he said. “It’s something that Congressman Dent just doesn’t get.”

Callahan declined to say if he would have voted for the House bill, but said he would support health care reform that doesn’t increase the country’s debt, allows people to go to doctors of their choosing and doesn’t cut Medicare and Medicaid.

The House bill does all three, Callahan said, but he would have worked to include more assurances the plan would never add to the nation’s deficit, among other changes.

Dent, reached after the rally by telephone, said the bill does affect Medicare, cutting it by nearly half a trillion dollars. The cuts would affect nearly 27,000 seniors in the congressional district, he said.

And while the bill expands Medicaid, the expansion will cost states millions of dollars in shared costs, Dent said.

 [Read more at the Express Times.]