TOPICS
TOPICS
Defeat of House smallpox bill may spur bipartisan effort
Republicans failed Monday to push through a smallpox vaccination compensation plan that Democrats said shortchanged health workers who may be harmed by the side effects of the vaccine.
Republicans not only failed to get the necessary two-thirds of the House to pass the bill, but also fell short of a simple majority.
Throughout the day, House Minority Whip Hoyer spoke to Democratic Caucus members as they returned to town for a lengthened workweek. Although moderate Republicans supported the measure, in the end, the compensation plan died in a 206-184 vote.
Democrats were incensed by the process Republicans used to bring the measure to a floor vote under suspension of the rules, which allowed for no amendments. Reps. Lois Capps and Henry Waxman, both D-Calif., had authored a substitute providing more generous compensation that they now hope to incorporate into a bipartisan bill.
Democrats said Monday the defeat of the GOP version would spur work toward a bipartisan solution.
The defeated Republican version, sponsored by Rep. Richard Burr of North Carolina, caps lifetime disability benefits at $262,100, with an annual cap of $50,000. The plan by Capps and Waxman plan does not place a lifetime cap on wage replacement for temporary disability and provides a $75,000 annual cap.
Earlier Monday, Capps and Waxman were joined at an event by healthcare providers who said they were hesitant to get the smallpox vaccine - which may cause severe side effects or even death - until they had greater reassurance from the government.
During floor debate on the bill, House Energy and Commerce Chairman Billy Tauzin, R-La., said the "unusual process" by which the smallpox vaccination program was brought to the floor was necessary to begin vaccinating emergency workers in case of a bioterror attack.
"This is not a labor-union discussion," he said. "This is an emergency."
Arizona, California, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, New York and Vermont suspended smallpox vaccinations after the heart attack deaths of three health care workers.
Post a Comment
To post a comment, you must provide a name and a valid e-mail address. Messages must be limited to 400 words. By using this Service you agree not to post material that is obscene, harassing, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable. Although Government Executive does not monitor comments posted to this site (and has no obligation to), it reserves the right to delete, edit, or move any material that it deems to be in violation of this rule.