State delegation split 3-4 on child health vote
Published 8:52 pm Wednesday, January 14, 2009
WASHINGTON — Alabama’s U.S. House delegation was divided 3-to-4 when the House voted to expand government-sponsored health care to 4 million more children of working families.
The bill passed 289 to 139 Wednesday. Voting for it from Alabama’s delegation were Democrats Artur Davis and Parker Griffith and Republican Mike Rogers. Voting against it were Democrat Bobby Bright and Republicans Robert Aderholt, Jo Bonner and Spencer Bachus.
Bright was one of two Democrats who voted against the bill, and Rogers was one of 40 Republicans who voted for it.
The bill would increase federal taxes on cigarettes to pay the $32 billion cost of expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program for the next 4½ years. Departing President George W. Bush vetoed similar legislation twice in 2007.