FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 18, 2007
Contact: Ed Frank or Annie Patnaude, (202) 349-5880

WASHINGTON – The free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity today called a House vote to uphold President Bush’s veto of the SCHIP expansion bill a taxpayer victory. The group launched a grassroots campaign, including e-mail action alerts and phone calls into targeted House districts, to help combat union-led battering of courageous lawmakers who refused to support the massive tax hikes and spending increases contained in the bill. AFP President Tim Phillips issued the following statement:

“Our hundreds of thousands of members who are concerned about the rising cost of government are thankful for those lawmakers who rejected the huge tax and spending hikes in this bill by upholding the President’s veto. Our members are relieved that the Democratic leadership’s attempt to move health care reform toward more government control instead of more private control failed today.

“The cost of government is already too high. Expanding SCHIP to children of upper middle-class families that earn $60,000-80,000 a year is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to incrementally move our country toward a government-run health care system. Our membership is greatly concerned over the reckless fiscal behavior in Congress that is expanding government dependence, and the SCHIP expansion is no exception.  

“Our members will continue to urge their lawmakers to embrace free-market solutions that will deliver affordable, high-quality private health insurance. Their voices have made this victory possible.

“The House’s vote today is ultimately a triumph against efforts to put our country on the path toward universal government-run health care, rife with long waiting lines and substandard care. Today taxpayers were victorious over ever-bigger government.”

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is the nation’s premier grassroots organization committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

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