THE CASE AGAINST LYNN JENKINS CHAPTER 53 - SHE VOTED AGAINST THE FIRST RESPONDERS TO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER

This is Lynn Jenkins, she does not represent us

The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, H.R. 847 is all about providing relief to American heroes. These particular heroes rushed into the World Trade Center after the attack on America, September 11, 2011. The air they breathed was not safe. These folk are sick, suffering, and dying because they did what first responders from any part of America would do. They rushed into harm's way for the sake of others.

Oklahoma's Republican Senator Tom Coburn, who is so ashamed of being a United States Senator that he asks to be called Doctor and not Senator, finally came around to striking a deal on the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, H.R. 847. Yesterday morning New York's two Democratic Senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand got down to brass tacks with the Oklahoma Republican. after Oklahoma First Responders got down to brass tacks with him first. Oklahoma's finest, police and firefighters, stood proud with the American heroes who rushed into the WTC after the most dastardly attack against the United States since Pearl Harbor.

Senator Coburn complained about the price tag. Really Doc? As I recall you were part of the filibustering minority in the United States Senate that held the people's business up until you could get an extension of the Bush Era Tax Cuts for the most wealthy American taxpayers. And Doc, that FAT CAT TAX BOONDOGGLE cost $700 billion, which was unpaid for, and added to the deficit, for folks who neither create jobs nor rush into harm's way when the Republic is attacked. Oh Doc, you got it so wrong.

After Senator Coburn used a chain saw to slash $2 billion from H.R. 847 the United States Senate passed the bill by Unanimous Consent.

This bill was first brought up, on a motion to Suspend the Rules, in the House of Representatives on July 29, 2010. Since passage on a suspension of the rules requires a ⅔ majority vote the bill failed. The margin was 255 in favor to 159 opposed with 18 Members not voting.

H.R. 847 returned in regular order, being reported out of the Rules Committee, on September 29, 2010. This time it required only a simple majority to pass. The first margin of victory in the House on H.R. 857 was 268 to 160.

Yesterday. in the waning hours of the 111th Congress, on the last Roll Call vote of that Congress, the pared down version of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, H.R. 847 passed the House by a margin of 206 in favor to 60 against with 168 Members not voting. While only requiring a simple majority by the House, H.R. 847 exceeded the ⅔ majority vote on final passage.

Lynn Jenkins, who also bellyaches for the FAT CAT TAX BOONDOGGLE and complains about unemployment benefits not being paid for, has managed to vote against First Responders at every opportunity. On three votes in the House to do what the Republicans in the United States Senate finally did, pass the bill by Unanimous Consent, and Jenkins said no three times. There is simply no excuse for Lynn Jenkins' voting record in general or her votes on H.R. 847 in particular.

And now a word about the 160 Members who did not vote. Most, if not all, of these Members left Washington to return home for the holidays before the work was done. Shame on them. They were the largest bi-partisan block the House has seen in a long long time. Frankly I expected more from Dennis Moore. Ike Skelton, the best damn Congressman I ever had, stood tall and kept voting to the last. Skelton finished like a pro! Sam Graves and Jerry Moran, like Moore, wimped out early.

The most amazing wimp out of all came from the Speaker of the House - designate, John Boehner of Ohio. Boehner was missing in action for the only Roll Call vote on December 22nd. That, Mr. Boehner, is not leadership.