State Dems Ask NY-20 GOP Hopefuls: Why the Silence on SCHIP?

For Immediate Release:

Monday, October 22, 2007

Contact: Jonathan Rosen (646) 452-5637

State Dems Ask NY-20 GOP Hopefuls: Why the Silence on SCHIP? Call on 4 Candidates for Congress to Break Their Silence New York, NY-

Today leaders of the New York State Democratic Party called on the four Republican candidates for Congress in New York’s 20th Congressional District (Gillibrand) to break their silence and come clean about their position on President Bush’s veto of legislation to increase funding for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Last week House Republicans voted to sustain that veto.

“Voters in the 20th Congressional District have the right to know how candidates for Congress would have voted on the single most important health care vote of this Congress. The President’s veto will cost New York millions and cause thousands of working families to lose their health insurance. It’s shocking that candidates for Congress have so far refused to take a position on this issue,” said June O’Neill, Chair of the NYS Democratic Party.

“These guys have an opinion about everything – including things that are completely out of their purview as members of Congress. Yet when it comes to an issue they actually will have to vote on in Congress - children’s health - they go silent,” said Dave Pollak, Co-Chair of the NYS Democratic Party. “Voters deserve to know how these candidates would have voted. Do they stand with George Bush and right wing Republicans or do they stand with New York ’s working families?” asked O’Neill.

Two GOP members of Congress from New York - Tom Reynolds and Randy Kuhl – were the only two members of Congress from New York who voted against overturning the President’s veto.

The current Democratic incumbent in Congress from the 20th district, Kirsten Gillibrand, voted with a majority of Democratic members to override the President ' s veto and has been a vocal advocate for the expanded reauthorization of the S-CHIP program.

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Jonathan Rosen

BerlinRosen Public Affairs

50 Broadway, 24th Floor

New York, NY 10004

tel. 646.452.5637 aim. jonathanrosen917