WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT Return to Pressroom Return Home
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WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT Return to Pressroom Return Home |
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WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT – March 2, 2007 Murphy lobbies Congress for PeachCare solution By Rep. Quincy Murphy On Thursday, I joined a six-member delegation from the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus (GLBC) that traveled to Washington, D.C., to urge additional federal funding of the state’s health care program for children, PeachCare for Kids, and to discuss other major issues with Georgia’s congressional delegation and other top leaders on Capitol Hill. This was an opportunity for a group of Georgia lawmakers to stress to federal officials the urgency of filling the $131 million funding gap facing PeachCare, which serves 270,000 children of working families all over the state. During the whirlwind trip, we were able to meet with Georgia’s U.S. Senators, Saxby Chambliss (R-Moultrie) and Johnny Isakson (R-Marietta), and U.S. Representatives from Georgia, Jack Kingston (R-Savannah), Sanford Bishop (D-Albany), Lynn Westmoreland (R-Newnan), Hank Johnson (D-Decatur), Jim Marshall (D-Macon), John Barrow (D-Savannah) and David Scott (D-Atlanta). We also spoke with U.S. Senators Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), Rep. Charles Rangel (R-N.Y.) and top staff members for Senators Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) to make the case for PeachCare. It is our understanding that if the state has to use funds as a temporary stopgap, they will be repaid in full by the federal government when Congress passes the appropriation. After meeting with the Democratic leadership, we know there is a commitment from Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for complete support of the children’s health insurance program and to fully fund the $791 million federal portion to the 17 states involved. Per the request of Congressman Clyburn, the caucus will appoint a liaison between the GLBC and the Majority Whip’s office for ongoing dialogue on all issues, hopefully to help prevent situations like the PeachCare funding crisis in the future. We were pleased to have, in only one day, met with such a strong bipartisan group of congressional leaders. PeachCare shouldn’t be a bargaining chip in a poker game between the state and federal government. Hundreds of thousands of Georgians depend on programs such as PeachCare and others to help them afford health coverage for their families. We wanted to put a human face on these issues, and stress to our Georgia congressmen and other national leaders that these and other programs need to be fully funded. With no more than 13 legislative days remaining in the session, the General Assembly is now in official recess for two weeks. Lawmakers will reconvene on March 19 for the 28th day of the 40-day session. The legislature will then be in session on March 20, 27, 28, 29 and 30. March 27 – the 30th day of the session – is “crossover” day, meaning the last day that legislation can pass from one chamber to the other for consideration this year. In April, lawmakers will be in session on the 10th, 11th, 12th and 17th. April 17 – day 37 – could be the last day of this year’s legislative session.
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