Weirauch pans lack of health-care action

11/20/2007

TIFFIN - Robin Weirauch, the Democratic candidate for Ohio's 5th Congressional District seat, revisited an issue from her primary-election campaign yesterday when she criticized the failure of federal legislation that would have expanded the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

Speaking at Seneca County's Women, Infants, and Children office, Mrs. Weirauch said she was "fed up watching the political games in Washington over children's health care while 10 million children hang in the balance."

"This isn't a Democratic issue or a Republican issue," Mrs. Weirauch said, according to statements released to The Blade. "This is an issue that strikes to the very heart of our commitment to equip our children with the tools they need to compete in the world.

"We cannot expect our children to be physically prepared to take on the good jobs of the future if we don't take care of them today."

Mrs. Weirauch met with nurses, patients, and families yesterday at the WIC facility, which she toured with Seneca County Health Commissioner Marjorie Broadhead.

On Oct. 3, President Bush vetoed the SCHIP bill, which would have increased spending on the children's insurance program by $35 billion over five years. Though the bill had bipartisan support, the House of Representatives fell 13 votes short of the 286 needed when it attempted last month to override the President's veto. A two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress is required to override a veto.

During the primary race for the vacant Ohio's 5th Congressional District seat, Mrs. Weirauch launched a Web advertisement on YouTube denouncing President Bush's stance against the bill.