Robert Brady (D-PA-1), Chaka Fattah (D-PA-2), Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA-3), Joe Sestak (D-PA-7), Patrick Murphy (D-PA-8), Christopher Carney (D-PA-10), John Murtha (D-PA-12), Paul Kanjorski (D-PA-11), Allyson Schwartz (D-PA-13), Mike Doyle (D-PA-14) Get A+ f

November 8, 2009

Health Care Vote Shows Who Sides With Working Families vs. Insurance Companies

HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On the heels of an historic late night vote in the House of Representatives for a good, balanced health care reform bill, the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO released its scoring of how our state's U.S. representatives voted on HR 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

The legislation, which passed Saturday evening by a vote of 220 to 215, takes America another step closer to bringing security and stability to our nation's health care system. Working families would get much needed relief from skyrocketing health care prices by being able to choose between a public option and private for-profit insurance.

Pennsylvania Congressional Health Care Scorecard

A+ /Sided with Working Families

Robert Brady (D-PA-1), Chaka Fattah (D-PA-2), Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA-3), Joe Sestak (D-PA-7), Patrick Murphy (D-PA-8), John Murtha (D-PA-12), Christopher Carney (D-PA-10), Paul Kanjorski (D-PA-11), Allyson Schwartz (D-PA-13), Mike Doyle (D-PA-14)

F-/ Sided With Insurance Companies

Jason Altmire (D-PA-4), Glenn Thompson (R-PA-5), Jim Gerlach (R-PA-6), Bill Shuster (R-PA-9), Charles Dent (R-PA-15), Joseph Pitts (R-PA-16), Tim Holden (D-PA-17), Tim Murphy (R-PA-18), Todd Platts (R-PA-19)

"This is an historic victory that moves Pennsylvania's working families one step closer to the passage of real health care reform," said William George, President of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO. "And it was a huge test of who will stand with working families versus the moneyed special interests. While some of the Commonwealth's members passed with flying colors by standing up for the people who sent them to Washington, others failed by voting to keep the status quo. Make no mistake: Working families will remember who fulfilled the promises they were elected on and they will continue to stand with their Representatives who delivered."

The legislation would also help small businesses access quality, affordable health care with lower rates and stable pricing from year to year. And it would lessen the burden of covering the uninsured by requiring employers to provide health care for their employers or pay into a common fund.

The House bill is also financed in a responsible way -- it is fully paid for and would reduce our nation's rising deficits. Furthermore, it does not attempt to pay for health care on the backs of middle class working families by increasing taxes on the health care that families are already struggling to pay for.

Once the Senate votes on its own bill, the two bills will be reconciled into final health care reform legislation.

SOURCE Pennsylvania AFL-CIO