Rooney Sides With Extremists Against Florida's Children

NEWS FROM THE FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY

For Immediate Release: January 14, 2009

Tallahassee, FL - In reaction to Congressman Tom Rooney's vote against the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives today by a huge bi-partisan majority, Florida Democratic Party Chair Karen Thurman released the following statement:

"Tom Rooney should be ashamed of himself today.

"After only one week in office, Rooney has already broken his promise to the people of Florida's 16th District. In one of his first votes in Congress, Rooney sided with the extreme fringe of the Republican Party in opposing the Children's Health Insurance Program, a plan that will help improve the health and chance for success for 11 million children, reduce the much more costly use of emergency rooms for primary care, and move us closer to providing every child in our nation with affordable, high-quality health care.

"There is absolutely no excuse for Rooney's vote today. Residents of the 16^th District are going to remember that Rooney put ideology above bi-partisan solutions to help Floridians in these tough economic.

"Rooney shouldn't get too comfortable in Congress, since his vote today ensures that he won't be there long."

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