Congressman Bill Sali spoke to the Idaho House of Representatives today, giving a similar speech to the one delivered in the Senate yesterday and, as predicted, receiving a warmer response. He was welcomed to the House by Speaker Lawerence Denney (R-Midvale) as "one of our own." He reminisced about fond memories and in pointing out members in the balcony, joked that he might have been one of the troublemakers. But he said while he misses his colleagues in the Idaho Legislature, "he is really beginning to enjoy his new job" in Congress, despite pointing out many flaws he perceives there.
He also included some surprising comments on health care given his recent voting record. It seems disingenuous to say, "All Idahoans need access to health care," after voting at least three times against giving more kids access to health care under the State Children's Health Insurance Plan—once on passage of the original bill, again to override the President's veto and then again after the bill had been reworked. He eventually voted to continue the current program that leaves many kids without access to coverage.
He justified his votes against the kids' health care proposals to the House using the reasons he's used before, one of which was that it would have covered "wealthy children." He defined these as children whose parents earn up to $63,000 a year, commenting that the average income in Idaho is only $45,000 a year.
Actually, the reworked bill he voted against increased eligibility to include those making three times the poverty rate, which for a family of four would have been $61,950. But here's where Congressman Sali needs a reality check.
According to a Northwest Federation of Community Organizations study, in 2006 a living wage for an Idaho family of four with two adults working was $60,382. With increases in the sales tax, gas prices and other goods and services since then, that amount has certainly gone up. They also concluded that more than 75% of Idaho families in that category earned less than that. If Sali thinks that hard-working, two-income families barely making a living wage are "wealthy," maybe he's getting too used to his new job.
He also told the House, "Coverage does you no good if you can't get to a doctor," referring to Idaho's rural nature and the lack of health services available. Sali's had several chances to vote for legislation that would have helped make health care services more available in rural areas and again he voted against them.
One was the College Cost Reduction Act which provided some student loan forgiveness for nurses and others who served full time in areas of national need. Another was the Small Business Lending Improvement Act, a portion of which gives loans to small businesses that provide medical, dental, or psychiatric services in health professional shortage areas, including rural areas. He defended his vote on that by saying that it had a "cutesy title."
Congressman Sali was right about one thing, people across the country are interested in change but Idahoans deserve a Congressman who will make changes, not just talk about them.
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