Chuck DeVore: Democrats Trying To Hide $500 Million For Illegal Immigrant Healhtcare

This just came over the transom from Assemblyman Chuck DeVore's office:

Democrats Trying To Hide Half-Billion Dollars for Illegal Immigrant Healthcare in State Budget

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore Demands Removal Before Budget Vote

(SACRAMENTO) –Assemblyman Chuck DeVore is demanding that legislative Democrats remove a $500 million budget allocation for illegal immigrant healthcare from the proposed state budget.  This Saturday during the Legislative Budget Conference Committee meeting, Democrats expanded the Healthy Families program to cover illegal immigrants and families of four with annual incomes of about $53,000.

“At a time when California has billions of dollars in debt, the last thing our state should be doing is increasing healthcare entitlements for illegal immigrants,” explained Assemblyman DeVore. “Whatever government subsidizes, it gets more of — we should not increase the incentives to illegally come to California.”

The Healthy Families program provides low-cost health insurance.  Under federal rules, illegal immigrants and families of four making more than $44,000 a year are ineligible for the program.

If California gave away more welfare than authorized by the federal government, then the state would be in jeopardy of losing the two-thirds of the Healthy Families budget that is paid for by the federal government. Additionally, federal funding of the entire Healthy Families program is scheduled to expire in September 2007, leaving the state to pay the entire cost of the welfare program for illegal immigrants.

The Legislature is expected to vote on the state budget as early as this Thursday, June 15, 2006.  Because the budget must pass by a two-thirds vote, a minimum of six Assembly Republicans and two Senate Republicans are needed to approve this funding expansion, giving Republicans leverage to eliminate this program.

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore represents the 70th Assembly District, including the cities of Aliso Viejo, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Newport Beach, and Tustin.  For more information please visit his website at www.assembly.ca.gov/devore.

Comments

[JozefColomy]

I am very proud to have Assemblyman Devore represent me in Sacramento. He is, without a doubt, one of the most charasmatic, active, and strong-willed legislators in Sacramento and I only see him moving up throughout his career.

[Luis Rodriguez]

It is with the mentality of these type of public officials, that we will never as a nation be able to adopt an immigration program which will benefit everyone. Mr. Devore, chooses to look at the issue with a pigeon hole mentality as do most extreme conservatives, like Tancredo, Frist, etc...
If we want to progress as a nation, we must make wise decisions during election cycles and choose candidates more open minded.

[70th District Constituent]

There are few legislators, conservative or otherwise, in this state who are brave enough to stand up and fight for the average taxpayer at the expense of looking 'harsh' on immigration. Mr. DeVore has show exactly the kind of courage I expect in a representative. I will be voting for him again.

[Angry Conservative]

Where are the other Republicans on this?! Is DeVore the only person who reads the budget? I'm shocked that this ridiculous idea was even proposed! $500 billion for criminals who don't pay taxes? The state should be in an uproar!

Thanks go to the only Assemblymember who seems to be paying attention.

[Andy Favor]

Luis, what are you talking about? I did not understand your comment.

As a side note, if Democrats want to improve access to low cost health insurance they should conform the federal HSA rules. For example, we addopted an HSA at my firm and my partner's premiums dropped $7,000 per year! The most he can be out of pocket is $5,000 per year. There are many, many more benefits to HSA's that I will expand upon if asked.

I say get government out of the health business entirely for legals and illegals and expand Health Savings Accounts. But at a minimum we should demand that our legilators in Sacramento just conform to federal law.

Andy Favor
Libertarian Candidate for 73rd Assembly

Republicans hide the fact that the Bush administration has wasted more than $500 billion on phony war in Iraq.

Secure Democracy in Iraq: $500 billion

Paying for criminals to have benefits that taxpaying Americans don't have $500 million

Pointing out that Republicans are correct: priceless

Tell Zarqawi it's a "phony war."

Oh yeh, he's dead...

[Jerry Amante]

Chuck is right on this one again. The State is in deep debt and we want to extend more benefits to folks who are here illegally....Sure that makes sense...NOT !

Good job, Chuck!

[Thomas Gordon]

"It is with the mentality of these type of public officials, that we will never as a nation be able to adopt an immigration program which will benefit everyone."

And by that you mean open the borders and let everyone in no questions asked right?
We must not reward illegal behavior because it will only encourage more illegal behavior.

"Mr. Devore, chooses to look at the issue with a pigeon hole mentality as do most extreme conservatives, like Tancredo, Frist, etc..."

Luis chooses to look at the issue with a pigeon hole mentality as do most extreme liberals, like Pelosi,Reid,Kennedy,etc.

"If we want to progress as a nation, we must make wise decisions during election cycles and choose candidates more open minded."

If we want to have a future as a country, we need to make wise decisions during election cycles and choose more candidates like DeVore.

George Allen in 08

[Luis Rodriguez]

Lets take a look at who has the pigeon hole mentality. Is it realistic to assume all immigrants will be deported by the U.S. ridding us of this so called problem?
How likely, by providing evidence, will the labor force be able to sustain the same economic growth without the current laborers?

Denying medical services, social services, and education to any one in the U.S. states is a complete slap in the face of our constitution. Not only is this idea not realistic, it is absurd. The more one chooses to look at this issue from an emotional point of view, rather than logistics, the quicker we can move forward.

[redperegrine]

"Denying medical services, social services, and education to any one in the U.S. states is a complete slap in the face of our constitution"

Luis, I guess I missed the part of the Consitution that guarantees tax-payer subsidized social services to illegal aliens. In which Article or Amendment would I find that? Even the most liberal interpretation of the General Welfare clause can be stretched only so far before the stretcher makes himself look faintly ridiculous.

And BTW, why is it you guys are forever using "immigrant" as a synonym for "illegal aliens"?

Luis, you are passionate, however, misguided on this issue. The United States of America needs its illegal work force as much as it needs the crime, poverty and debt that comes along with that workforce.

A slap in the face to the Constitution, good line, but I would argue it is the illegal immigrant who is slapping our Constitution in the face by not respecting the rule of law that flows from that Constitution.

The idea of forcing those who live in this country to obey the rule of law is not absurd.

But if you had it your way we would let everyone in without any accountability, that way everyone, citizen and non-citizen alike, could experience the type of poverty experienced in Mexico.

I'll pass, thanks.

[Thomas Gordon]

Did I or any others above ask for the deportation of any illegal aliens from this country?

Does this country not have a right to a secure border and the right to know who is in our country?

The labor force is this country did just fine without the use of illegal aliens for 200 hundred years. get a new arguement.

There is and always will be a provision for a guest labor force. They are INVITED workers.They come to this country and provide a service and then they go home.

They are not entitled to any benefits or rights that are accorded US Citizens, such as voting etc.

Denying or providing services that we can not afford to provide to a population of people who have broken numerous laws by just being in this country and working under the table most of the time and stealing identities and pledging no alegiance to this country is not what our Constitution is all about.

[Bladerunner]

The above commentaries are an indication of why many Republicans want to drive the immigration train until November 7. It certainly diverts people's attention from the Sheriff, and the myriad of land mines being stepped on in D.C right now.

But on the merits, has anyone stepped up and explained WHY the State would do this? Federal law REQUIRES hospitals to provide emergency medical care to people regardless of their immigration status but I'm aware of no federal law requiring states or communities to provide non-emergency care to people who are in the country illegally. Rohrbacher tried to cut off reimbursements to the hospitals for medical care for these folks which went nowhere in the Republican Congress.

Perhaps Chuck could do some good at helping the Governor get some reimbursement from the federal government the Republicans control. California and the other border states have born the burden of the financial costs of the failure of the past three administrations to control our borders.

[70th AD Voter]

I just heard that Assemblyman DeVore is going to be on John & Ken at 5pm. They are going to talk about this very issue.

[70th AD Voter]

John & Ken are on KFI AM 640, or just go to "Listen Live"

http://www.kfi640.com/pages/streaming.html

[Andy Favor]

Luis,

In reading your above comment I think you may have a serious misconception about the concepts of liberty and our nation's founding principles.

I hope you will go to the following website because there is a very short tutorial that teaches about the basic principles of liberty that we will all be celebrating on July 4th.

http://www.free-market.net/resources/introduction.html