FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
House Democratic Leadership www.pahouse.com

Top two priorities for Pennsylvanians -- health care and energy costs – successfully addressed by House Democrats

HARRISBURG, April 8 – House Democratic leaders said the House delivered on its planned spring agenda including passing legislation that would increase access to affordable health care for more than a quarter-million Pennsylvanians and invest in alternative energy that would help lower energy bills while reducing the state’s dependence on Middle Eastern oil in addition to a full list of common-sense proposals.

"The working men and women of our Commonwealth are worried about being able to afford to see a doctor when they get sick, and being able to afford to heat their homes and fill their gas tanks," said Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, D-Greene/Fayette/Washington. "Those two issues were at the top of our ‘to-do’ list this spring, and legislation that would help solve those problems shared by all Pennsylvanians has been achieved in a bipartisan manner by the House.

"Thousands of people have called us, written us and e-mailed us to say ‘we want these bills to be the law of the land,’ and we are proud to say the House Democratic Caucus has delivered," he said.

Majority Policy Committee Chairman Todd Eachus noted that it’s been nearly a month since the House passed the PA -- Access to Basic Care health-care legislation that would expand adultBasic benefits to include more than 250,000 eligible working people, and also add prescription drug coverage, behavioral health services, wellness care and disease management.

"This bill helps people who get up and go to work every day, helps small businesses that already offer health insurance, helps small employers to be able to afford to offer coverage for the first time, and even gives people the option to set up their own health accounts – all while continuing medical malpractice assistance payments to doctors until 2018," said Eachus, D-Luzerne. "The legislation approved by the House will save lives and save money statewide."

The lawmakers noted that the need for the legislation was sharply underscored by a study by the Institute of Medicine showing that two people die every day in Pennsylvania due to a lack of access to health care caused by no insurance coverage.

"Right now, Pennsylvanians are sending $30 billion to the Middle East every year to buy energy," said Majority Whip Keith McCall, D-Carbon. "Back on March 11, the House passed a complete package of legislation giving consumers and power-generating utilities more tools to cut energy bills through conservation and investment in alternative energy. Since then, you, your family and your neighbors have spent more $2.4 billion – billion with a ‘b’ – on energy. That’s $3.30 per gallon of gas, $4.20 per gallon of diesel, $3.50 per gallon of home heating fuel – and that doesn’t take into account one cent of extra costs hidden in higher prices on food and products due to those fuel costs.

"Our legislation attacks the problem from two sides and saves us $10 billion over the next 10 years while investing in state-generated energy sources that create high-tech, high-wage jobs," McCall said.

The House Democratic leaders noted that since January, the House has also passed legislation that would, among other things:

· Reform the state’s prison system to give nonviolent offenders reasonable sentence options while increasing punishment for violent felons, saving hundreds of millions in prison construction costs;

· Address the growing mortgage foreclosure crisis, giving financially strapped homeowners options while preventing predatory lending and protecting reputable banks and lenders;

· Addressed protecting lawful firearms owners while adding teeth to existing gun laws to punish criminals;

· Protect patients from medical errors and punish hospitals that do not take steps to reduce such errors;

· Protect small businesses that purchase group medical insurance

· Improve access to health care in rural areas by expanding the scope-of-practice for physician assistants and dental assistant;

· Make it possible to eliminate property taxes via passage of a required Constitutional amendment;

· Expand the earned income tax credit for low-income working people;

· Provide historic public access to government records.

Anyone wishing to sign on to support these measures can become a "Citizen-Sponsor" by visiting www.pahouse.com and clicking on the "Action Center" link.

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