Letter: Ensign callous for opposing Katrina bill

Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2005 | 8:09 a.m.

After reading the recent Sun article, "Lawmakers spar over Medicaid bill for storm victims," I've concluded that there are compassionate conservatives and there are callous conservatives. Unfortunately, Sen. John Ensign falls in the latter category.

Ensign, R-Nev., is one of a handful of senators holding up the bipartisan Baucus-Grassley bill that would provide full federal funding of Medicaid coverage to low-income victims of Hurricane Katrina. This bill is supported by the National Governors Association, the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association and the Red Cross.

Here in Nevada it is supported by Democratic Sen. Harry Reid and Republican Gov. Kenny Guinn. We have 2,500 Hurricane Katrina victims in Nevada and more than 700 have signed up for Medicaid with at least 50 more a day signing up. If Baucus-Grassley does not pass, Nevada and other states that are helping the survivors will not be reimbursed from the federal government for their expenses.

After the 9/11 tragedy, the federal government extended full Medicaid coverage to survivors. Are the Katrina victims less worthy?

Who opposes the Baucus-Grassley bill besides Ensign? The Bush administration, whose track record for helping those in need is less than stellar. Ensign claims he is against the bill because its $8 billion price tag is too high. Ensign is, however, in favor of showering the wealthiest of Americans with a tax break of $70 billion -- nearly nine times more than would go to the low-income hurricane victims. Ensign truly is a callous conservative.

Paul R. Brown

Las Vegas

Editor's note: Paul R. Brown is the Southern Nevada director of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada.