John Ashcroft on Health Care
Voted against penalties on tobacco companies
The Justice Department�s crusade against Big Tobacco may end under Ashcroft. In 1998, he voted against against Sen. John McCain�s tobacco regulation bill to impose huge penalties on tobacco companies if they didn�t decrease rates of youth smoking, saying
among other things that the companies shouldn�t take all the blame. �There is something that really hasn�t been talked about in the debate: individual responsibility. ... People have known there are adverse health impacts,� he said at the time.
Source: ABCnews.com, �An Ashcroft Justice Department�
Dec 23, 2000
Medicare lockbox; more funding too
Major Accomplishments in the US Senate: SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE- Authored and passed the first Medicare Lockbox to prevent Washington spending raids on the Medicare Trust Fund.
- Helped to secure increased Medicare funding,
resulting in an average increase to Medicare recipients of $1,725 per person.
- Successfully worked to extend solvency of Social Security and Medicare, with Medicare solvency extended by 23 years to 2025, and Social Security by 8 years, to 2037.
Source: JohnAshcroft.org, campaign web site
Nov 7, 2000
$150M for basic health care for uninsured
Q. Even if Medicaid and the State Children�s Health Insurance Program enroll all �eligible� children, there would still be millions of uninsured children. How do you propose insuring each and every child in America? A. Because of
our state�s limited government resources, it is important to focus on children whose families cannot afford health insurance. I support initiatives that give uninsured families more options to obtain health insurance, such as allowing full
deductibility for health insurance costs for families headed by self-employed individuals, and health insurance tax deductions/credits for families who cannot obtain coverage from an employer. I continue to strongly support funding
increases for consolidated health centers, which give uninsured individuals - including children - access to basic health care. Most recently I called for a $150 million increase in community health centers funding for FY2001.
Source: NACHRI Interview (ChildrensHospitals.net/nachri)
Sep 9, 2000
Voted NO on including prescription drugs under Medicare.
Vote to establish a prescription drug benefit program through the Medicare health insurance program. Among other provisions, Medicare would contribute at least 50% of the cost of prescription drugs and beneficiaries would pay a $250 deductible
Bill HR.4690
; vote number 2000-144
on Jun 22, 2000
Voted YES on limiting self-employment health deduction.
The Santorum (R-PA) amdt would effectively kill the Kennedy Amdt (D-MA) which would have allowed self-employed individuals to fully deduct the cost of their health insurance on their federal taxes.
Status: Amdt Agreed to Y)53; N)47
Reference: Santorum Amdt #1234;
Bill S. 1344
; vote number 1999-202
on Jul 13, 1999
Voted NO on increasing tobacco restrictions.
This cloture motion was on a bill which would have increased tobacco restrictions. [YES is an anti-smoking vote].
Status: Cloture Motion Rejected Y)57; N)42; NV)1
Reference: Motion to invoke cloture on a modified committee substitute to S. 1415;
Bill S. 1415
; vote number 1998-161
on Jun 17, 1998
Voted YES on banning human cloning.
This cloture motion was in order to end debate and move to consideration of legislation banning human cloning. [A YES vote opposes human cloning].
Status: Cloture Motion Rejected Y)42; N)54; NV)4
Reference: Motion to invoke cloture on motion to proceed to S. 1601;
Bill S. 1601
; vote number 1998-10
on Feb 11, 1998
Voted YES on Medicare means-testing.
Approval of means-based testing for Medicare insurance premiums.
Status: Motion to Table Agreed to Y)70; N)20
Reference: Motion to table the Kennedy Amdt #440;
Bill S. 947
; vote number 1997-113
on Jun 24, 1997
Voted NO on medical savings acounts.
Vote to block a plan which would allow tax-deductible medical savings accounts.
Status: Amdt Agreed to Y)52; N)46; NV)2
Reference: Kassebaum Amdt #3677;
Bill S. 1028
; vote number 1996-72
on Apr 18, 1996