NEWS RELEASE
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Washington, D.C. 20515

Bush Administration Ignores 44 Million
Uninsured in U.S as it Awards Contract for
Universal Health Care in Iraq

Reps. DeGette, Dingell, Brown Demand President Commit to Health Care for All Americans and All Iraqis

Washington, DC - On the day that the Bush Administration awarded a contract to Abt Associates to provide universal health service to 25 million Iraqis within a year, U.S. Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO), John D. Dingell (D-MI), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) called on President Bush to provide the same commitment to the 44 million Americans without health care coverage.

The contract by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) seeks to “help facilitate rapid, universal health service delivery to the Iraqi population” including “basic health care available to 12.5 million persons” after six months and “25 million persons” after one year of program implementation. The Administration also requires all 25 million Iraqis to have maternal, child health care, and health information and education after six months of program implementation.

“The problems in Iraq are daunting. There is only one doctor for every 1,667 people compared to 1 for every 400 in the United States. Life expectancy is 60 years for men and 58 for women, compared to 74 and 79 in the United States. The country’s infrastructure is in shambles,” said Rep. DeGette. “If, despite all of these huge challenges, we can provide universal health care in Iraq within one year, we can certainly find a way to provide coverage to the 400,000 Coloradoans and 44 million Americans without health care coverage.”

“I’m pleased the Administration is taking quick action to ensure health care for Iraq’s people, but remain disappointed that the same effort is not being put forth to protect America’s uninsured,” said Rep. Dingell, Ranking Member, Committee on Energy and Commerce. “If the President were not wedded to an ill-conceived, over-inflated tax-cut, we could afford to take care of millions of our citizens who have no insurance.”

“The problem isn’t that George W. Bush is acknowledging the need for health care in Iraq. The problem is he is not acknowledging that 44 million Americans lack the same health services he wants to provide Iraq. Two-thirds of states, including my home state of Ohio, are slashing essential health services. President Bush should demonstrate the same level of commitment to solving this crisis at home as in Iraq,” said Rep. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, who is the Ranking Member on the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid and other federal health programs.

“While rebuilding Iraq is an extremely important task, the Bush Administration cannot ignore the crushing problems here at home. American small businesses are being crippled by soaring health care costs. The rising number of unemployed are struggling with huge health insurance payments or going without insurance. States across the nation are drastically slashing health coverage for the working poor,” said Rep. DeGette. “Instead of offering a plan to solve these crises, the Bush Administration proposed a 7 percent cut in the Health Resources and Services Administration and a 30 percent cut in children’s hospital grants.”

“Uninsured Americans are still waiting for the President to show them the same compassion he is now showing to Iraqis,” concluded Rep. DeGette. “It’s more than time for some leadership from the White House on domestic issues.”

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