Tom Perriello: Truth about health reform’s impact on vets

Column by Tom Perriello
www.house.gov/perriello
 

One of my greatest privileges in Congress is serving on the House Veterans Affairs Committee and its Health Subcommittee, where I am committed to ensuring quality health coverage for those who have served our country. With rumors and misunderstandings continuing to spread about health insurance reform, I want to clear up any confusion regarding how health reform will affect veterans and military personnel. Read more

Ad campaign thanks Perriello for vote on health care

Edited by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
 

An ad and robocall campaign is being launched by Catholics United to thank Fifth District Congressman Tom Perriello for his yes vote on health-care reform.

“By his vote for health care reform, Congressman Perriello has shown that he is fighting for the interests of working Americans, not the interests of corporate lobbyists,” said Chris Korzen, executive director of Catholics United. “We wholeheartedly thank Congressman Perriello for doing what is right for Virginia’s families, and we condemn the violence and intimidation that has apparently been perpetrated by some opponents of health care reform.” Read more

Details of Perriello vandalism confirmed

Edited by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
 

The Albemarle County Fire Marshal’s Office and the FBI are confirming details regarding an act of vandalism reported on Tuesday, March 23 at the Ivy home of the older brother of Congressman Tom Perriello.

The family of Bo Perriello discovered a gas smell when they returned home that day and discovered that the supply hose connecting a liquid petroleum tank to burners on a portable gas grill was severed, according to authorities.

The grill was located on a deck adjacent to a screened porch on the back of the house. Read more

Two GOP hopefuls pledge fight for health-care repeal

Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
 

Fifth District Republican nomination candidates Robert Hurt and Feda Morton are both saying this week that they would work if elected to Congress to repeal the federal health-care reform signed into law by President Barack Obama on Tuesday.

“I have pledged to the people I’m seeking to represent that not only will I vote against government-run health care, I will seek to roll it back should it become law this year,” said Hurt, a Southside state senator and the early favorite to win the GOP nomination in the Fifth. Read more

Tom Perriello: The facts on health-care reform

Column by Tom Perriello
www.house.gov/perriello
 

One of the top concerns of working families and small businesses in the Fifth District is the skyrocketing cost of health care and the lack of access to quality, affordable care. Over the past 15 months, I have heard countless stories from Virginians about their struggles with the current health care system. Small business owners tell me they have to choose between insuring their workers or laying people off. Self-employed workers talk about their premiums have jumped 20% in just one year. Individuals with pre-existing conditions like diabetes say they can’t get health coverage. And the uninsured tell me stories—sometimes heart-breaking—about a disease that went unchecked or a trip to the emergency room after it was too late, all because they did not have health insurance. Read more

House passes health-care reform

Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
 

The House of Representatives voted Sunday night to pass a health-care reform bill mirroring legislation that had passed the Senate in December. Democrats were able to muster a 219-212 majority to pass the legislation, which will extend coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans, expand prescription drug coverage under Medicare, increase federal subsidies to help people buy insurance and ban denials of coverage for pre-existing conditions.

Fifth District Democratic Congressman Tom Perriello voted in favor of the legislation after publicly wavering on the issue in recent weeks.

“At the end of the day, this decision for me came down to whether working families would see savings at the kitchen table. They will. I asked whether seniors will see the Medicare Trust Fund extended and the cost of prescription drugs drop. They will. As I have heard from our major hospitals that endorsed the bill, this legislation will improve health care and bring down costs for Virginians,” Perriello said in a statement. Read more

GOP candidates press Perriello – and each other

Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
 

Fifth District Congressman Tom Perriello is facing a full-court press from the Republicans gunning for the chance to knock him off in November. The press might work better if the GOP’ers weren’t trying at the same time to steal the ball from each other.

“My opponent Jim McKelvey put out a statement challenging Congressman Perriello to ‘go ahead and make my day’ by voting for the pending health-care bill. This is exactly the type of arrogant thought process the people of Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District and the country cannot afford to tolerate any longer.” Read more