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Congressman Mike Ross, Fourth Congressional District of Arkansas

Volume 5, Issue 18,
May 5, 2006 Weekly Newsletter

MIKE'S WEEKLY MESSAGE

Cover the Uninsured Week

This week in Congress, my colleagues and I recognized Cover the Uninsured Week, a national campaign to draw attention to the millions of Americans who do not have health insurance.

Currently, there are 46 million Americans living without health insurance coverage, including over 8 million children. Nearly 450,000 of those uninsured Americans live in Arkansas. Despite common perceptions, many of the uninsured are employed. Often they work for small businesses that cannot afford the ever-increasing insurance costs for their employees. I believe America can do better.

I have co-sponsored three bills in the U.S. House of Representatives that would cut the number of uninsured Americans in half by targeting three particularly vulnerable segments of the population: low-income working families, small business employees, and those approaching Medicare age.

The FamilyCare Act builds on the success of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid in insuring children by extending coverage to their low-income working parents. Working parents often have jobs with no health insurance benefit. The Small Business Health Insurance Promotion Act would create a 50 percent tax credit to help small businesses and the self-employed with the costs of health coverage. The Medicare Early Access Act would allow people between ages 55 and 64 to purchase Medicare; this would directly impact the 3.5 million uninsured Americans who are 55 and over but not yet eligible for Medicare.

Often the last line of defense for Americans at risk of joining the ranks of the uninsured is Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor, disabled and elderly. We must adequately fund this program so we don’t leave more individuals without the health insurance coverage they need. The President’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2007 contains $17.2 billion in cuts to Medicaid despite his promise in the State of the Union to address the growing needs of working families and seniors. I will continue to oppose legislative cuts to this important program.

As your representative in Washington, I want you to know that finding ways to make health care affordable and accessible is among my legislative priorities. I will continue to fight for common sense legislation that will assist small businesses and the self employed in making health insurance affordable for them and their employees.

I welcome your comments and concerns on issues important to you. I encourage you to write to me at 314 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, e-mail me at mike.ross@mail.house.gov or phone my office at 1-800-223-2220. I also encourage you to visit my website at www.house.gov/ross to see how you can sign up to receive my weekly electronic newsletter.

Ross Delivers Opening Statement at
Hearing on Crude Oil Prices

U.S. Rep. Mike Ross (AR-04), a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Energy Subcommittee, today delivered an opening statement at a hearing entitled, “World Crude Oil Pricing.” The hearing investigated the role of world markets in domestic gasoline prices. Below is the text of Ross’s remarks.

“I would like to first thank the Chairman and Ranking Member for holding this important hearing regarding the record crude oil prices and the adverse impact they are having on Americans - Americans who are being forced to change their way of life, being forced to choose between paying bills, buying prescription drugs or putting gasoline in their vehicles.

“Mr. Chairman, I represent a large and rural district in the great state of Arkansas. My district spans 21,000 square miles and 29 counties. It is not uncommon for my constituents to drive 50 miles or more – each way to and from work. And in most cases they commute these distances for a job that pays well below the national average. Hard working Americans who are trying to do the right thing by working to put food on the table, to keep the lights on, and to provide for their families – are being devastated by these record gas prices.

“In order to see true reductions in prices, we will have to either increase supply or decrease demand – ideally both. I strongly support the continued development and use of ethanol and bio-diesel as a way to reduce the demand on costly fossil fuels. And, as we continue working to increase the use of bio-fuels, we must make the necessary investments to develop our nation’s infrastructure to support an increased use of ethanol and bio-diesel. I’m committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make these investments to advance alternative fuels, which will provide Americans with a choice when they go to the pump.

“The reality is this: the energy bill, which I voted for, authorizes $100 million for grants to be used to develop bio-mass refineries, which would advance the use of alternative and renewable fuels for the entire 2007 fiscal year. This funding is authorized, but not yet appropriated. And yet we send $279 million per day to Iraq. And I want to make sure the American people understand that while there is a lot of talk these days about alternative and renewable fuels, over the next year we’re going to invest about half as much money in grants for bio-mass refineries in these United States of America than we will spend in Iraq in the next 24 hours.

“I recognize that as we develop alternative fuels and flex-fuel vehicles, our nation will continue to rely on fossil fuels as our primary source of energy. Therefore, I believe we must promote further exploration and development of domestic oil and gas production. I submit that addressing our nation’s energy crisis will take a multi-faceted approach consisting of increased domestic production, conservation, the use of alternative and renewable energy sources, utilizing energy efficient technologies, and end-user participation.

“With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.”

Today’s remarks are part of Ross’s continuing effort to respond to the growing concern over prices at the pump. Next week the House Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold hearings on "Gasoline Supply, Price and Specifications."

Please Contact Mike at
1-800-223-2220
mike.ross@mail.house.gov or
www.house.gov/ross

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