Rothman on Rep. Joe Wilson

Congressman Rothman votes to pass
a Resolution of Disapproval” of Rep. Joe Wilson

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Rothman (D – NJ) made the following statement after voting to pass a “resolution of disapproval” of Rep. Joe Wilson (R – SC). The resolution can be found below Rothman’s statement:
“Today I voted (Sept. 15), along with my colleagues for a resolution disapproving of Rep. Joe Wilson’s conduct at the September 9th Joint Session of Congress. By House rules and tradition, every House Member addresses his/her breaches of decorum themselves by apologizing in the “well” on the House floor. When this does not happen, the House as a whole may address the matter with any one of four (4) admonishments of the offending member: disapproval, reprimand, censure and expulsion.
Today’s “resolution of disapproval” is consistent with House rules and is necessary to support the over 200 year effort to provide for vigorous, but civil debate in the U.S. House of Representatives.”

Raising a question of the privileges of the House

Whereas on Sept. 9, 2009, during the joint session of Congress convened pursuant to House Concurrent Resolution 179, the President of the United States, speaking at the invitation of the House and Senate, had his remarks interrupted by the Representative from South
Carolina, Mr. Wilson; and
Whereas the conduct of the Representative from South Carolina was a breach of decorum and degraded the proceedings of the joint session, to the discredit of the House: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives disapproves of the behavior of the Representative from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson, during the joint session of Congress held on Sept. 9, 2009.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Rep. Joe Wilson yelled "You lie," during Pres. Obama's speech on health care. The House of Representatives voted in favor of a "resolution of disapproval" admonishing Rep Joe Wilson, R-SC, on Sept. 15 for his outburst during the joint session of Congress on Sept. 9.

Pres. Obama National Address to Students

Obama makes SCHIP law

Gov. Corzine comments on President Obama making state health insurance for children a reality

Trenton - Governor Jon S. Corzine applauded the passage of federal legislation expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and thanked President Obama for expeditiously signing the bill into law yesterday.
“With President Obama, we finally have a partner in Washington who understands the value of protecting and improving the health of our most vulnerable children,” Governor Corzine said. “When SCHIP was founded and passed in 1997, it was struck as a partnership between the states and the federal government. Now, through a renewed collaboration, millions of children in our country, over 128,000 children in New Jersey alone, will continue to have their health insurance needs met."
Corzine also said that, "Ensuring that children have access to health insurance so that they have a healthy start in life has been one of my top priorities as Governor. I’m pleased to say that through our successful SCHIP program, NJ FamilyCare, we are making great strides to reach these children and we will continue our outreach efforts to enroll every eligible child."
NJ FamilyCare is a federal and state funded health insurance program created to help New Jersey's uninsured children and certain low-income parents and guardians to have affordable health coverage. New Jersey has one of the most generous eligibility programs in the country, covering children up to the 350 percent of the federal poverty limit.