Children in Texas Lose out again because of Legislative politics

 

So the Texas Legislative session for 2009 is over, and any improvement in CHIPS, the Childrens Health insurance Program has been lost AGAIN. With the federal Govenrments stimulus package offering additional funds, and with the legislature having the opportunity to revise a variety of aspects of the CHIPS program to improve health care for the uninsured children of Texas, it was left to politics and the long totally frustrating debate over Voter ID's to kill all proposed CHIPS legislation. After 6 mionths of haggling, this legislature dropped the ball.

 Several pieces of legislation were drafted to expand coverage eligibility, increase the the enrollment period from 6 months to 12 months, and raise the income eligibility level from 200% to 300% of the Federal poverty level, none of these were ever finally approved by both houses.

 The UMW and Texas Impact lobbied tirelessly for a new CHIPS deal, only to see their efforts fail. This is an outrage!!! We need to mobilize every Methodist and put sustained pressure on every legislator reminding them that their vascillation has cost many the opportunity for improved health care.

 Let us know what you think can be done to keep this issue alive. What action would you and your congregation take, and how can we keep this issue alive for another 18 months while the legislature is fast asleep!!

 

Environmental Laws on the line in Congress

 

During the week of June 22 through 26, congress voted on important new environmental laws that will tighten control on emisions and many other important environmental issues. The bill was watered down, and many in the House want more improvements to the bill. there are still critical issues that were left un-addressed like these:

Ensure more clean energy for America... Increase the renewable electricity standard to 30% by 2020 combining renewable energy and energy effeciency to deliver more clean energy jobs to the economy more quickly.

Ensure that all coal plants meet strict global warming emissions standards. Maintain or strengthen existing authority under the Clean Air Act to establish limits for global warming emissions from coal plants

Create more Clean Energy Jobs and build resillience to climate change. Reduce allocations to polluting industires in order to suppliment allowance accounts that would bolster green job creation.

 

As this legislation moves to the Senate, there are many other features of this bill that needs you support, so call or write to your Congressional representative today and demand that these amendments be voted in.

 

Health Care debate Hots Up!!!

 

Right, so its getting confusing out there,. Congress is closing in on several massive bills on health care reform. There are no easy and clear solutions given the state of the mess health care is in. There is a lot of denial, and lot of dis-information. Methodist Healthcare Ministries has improtant information that will help you decide just what type of system you would need. Visit their website on www.mhm.org to get all the right information. We encourage you to write to your senators and House representatives to impress upon them the importance of improving every aspect of the health care system for everyone living in Texas.

 

Bobbi Kaye Talks up "Nothing but Nets"

 

Among those Four Areas of Focus called for by the General Conference, is the challenge to eliminate malaria as a disease. The United Methodist Church has identified Sierre Leone as the spot where it will focus to privide protective mosquito nets for every citizen of that west African country. Austin District Superintendent Bobbi Kaye Jones has found a village in Sierre Leone to blanket with these nets, and has called upon every United Methodist in the Austin District to get exited about finding resources to provide those Nets. So lets get with Bobbi Kaye and raise the money to supply those nets to the people of Siere Leone. Go to www.gbgm-umc.org for more on this exciting project.