New York Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand both voted to kill an amendment that would prevent sex offenders from receiving Viagra. Congressman Michael McMahon of NY-13 is not a member of the Senate and therefore did not vote.
Senators Schumer and Gillibrand also refused to hold any town hall meetings last summer regarding Obama’s healthcare reform bill, which recently passed.
Amendment 3556 to the Health Care Reconciliation Act of 2010 failed 57-42.
No Republicans voted yea and only two democrats voted with the GOP, they are Senators Bayh (D-IN) and Nelson (D-NE).
A “YEA” vote was to kill the amendment and to allow child molesters and rapists to access Viagra under the new health care exchanges and a “NAY” vote was to prohibit Viagra for sex offenders.
Amendment 3556 was introduced by Republican Senator Tom Coburn, a medical doctor from Oklahoma. The amendment titled No Erectile Dysfunction Drugs to Sex Offenders reads in part:
This amendment would enact recommendations from the Government Accountability Office to stop fraudulent payments for prescription drugs prescribed by dead providers or, to dead patients. This amendment also prohibits coverage of Viagra and other ED medications to convicted child molesters, rapists, and sex offenders.
New York, acting on a tip, was the first to uncover that Medicaid had paid for Viagra prescriptions for sex offenders. An AP report in 2005 revealed approximately 800 convicted sex offenders in 14 states got Medicaid-funded prescriptions for Viagra and other impotence drugs.
The majority of the cases were in New York, Florida and Texas. The attorney general of Texas, Gregg Abbott revealed that two registered sex offenders in Texas committed additional sex crimes after their first prescription was filled.
The 14 states (with corresponding cases) that provided registered sex offenders with subsidized impotence drugs are:
1. Florida, 218
2. New York, 198
3. Texas, 191
4. New Jersey, 55
5. Virginia, 52
6. Missouri, 26
7. Kansas, 14
8. Ohio, 13
9. Michigan, seven
10. Maine, five
11. Georgia, three
12. Montana, three
13. Alabama, two
14. North Dakota, one.
Matt Salo, a staff member of the National Governors Association, referred to a 1998 letter by the Clinton administration claiming it is the law to provide Viagra.
The Coburn amendment would have allowed the new health bill that Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi muscled into law from preventing funding for Viagra and other ED medications to convicted child molesters, rapists, and sex offenders.
How did your Senators vote? Click here for roll call vote.
It is notable that no Republicans voted to table the amendment, look for this to be a part of the midterm election debate.
It is curious that the two Democratic Senators from New York would vote to table such prohibitions. Are partisan politics preventing the Democrats from disallowing fraud and ED drugs for sex offenders?
Sources:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-05-28-viagra-medicare_x.htm
Comments
Why would anyone vote "Yay" for this?
Your article is packed with information I would not have known otherwise. TX. I cannot spend all the time to express my distain for anyone( our representatives), who think such an act to provide sex enhancing drugs to felons is even within normal limits of a conscience.
Many of us have been following this and are shocked that it was given the okay. What? It is good to know we can learn from your article who said nay or yea. I'm forwarding this to others.
That is one of the most disgusting things I've ever heard of. But then pedophiles and rapists always get away with it. Unfortuantely, I know that to be true.
This, like all the other amendments was proposed only to defeat the bill. That's why the Dems voted against it and every other amendment. If Tom Coburn really cared about this issue, he would have tried to introduce legislation earlier or separately knowing that he would've had universal support. It's nothing but cheap political trickery.
I commented on this on AC, but I'll say the same thing here. It makes no sense to me how law-abiding citizens cannot afford to get the medication they need to stay alive, but we can give these criminals Viagra so they can have an erection. I just DO NOT get it.
If these were really the only issues in this amendment then I am shocked it did not pass. But usually politicians try to sneak other things into amendments knowing full well the other side will not support it..and then they cry foul when it gets defeated. Not sure that is the case here, but I am curious. Sneaky politicians on both sides of the aisle...
Shame on you for publishing this article without giving your readers all of the information. The Republicans in the Senate PLANNED to propose amendments like this in order to kill the health care bill in a very shady way. If the Senate were to add any amendments, the bill would no longer match the House's health care bill. Therefore, the Senate cannot add any amendments. Knowing this, the Republicans decided to not only try to slow the bill's progress but also create amendments that they could later hold against the Democrats for not supporting. Now, THAT is dirty politics.
Why isn't this headlines! right the media is also in the tank if not bought outright like NBC; a scandal worse than Watergate. I must admit I thought this was mere hyperbole, until I followed the links. Dirty politics? Joe give me a break...dirty politics is sneaking in the HC bill a gov't takeover of the student loan industry w/the exception of ONE bank for its district senator's vote in ND...the Examiner should examine that!
Well, I guess in a world addicted to MTV videos Viagra for pervs is just dandy. Stop the nonsense and just admit you people voted for the most radical and far left politician you can find..stop making excuses and enjoy your victories and consequences.
Democrats are trying to secure the votes of the rapist and child molesters.
Great, now everyone needs to sleep with a sock in their mouth and their ass up against the wall. :(
You are disingenuous at best. This was a BS move by the Republicans to stall health care reform. How can you write this story and not tell people this???
This was a tactic by Republicans to make Dems look bad. You are a joke as a reporter for not including this. Do you honestly believe these folks want pervs to get these drugs?? The other jokers never proposed this legislation until they knew it would not be voted on.
Also, it was voted to table the amendment. Be a real reporter and tell the whole story
Obama trolls have the audacity to claim an amendment or the reporting of prohibiting funding for pervs to get ED drugs is BS
Listen to yourselves!Even if it was a GOP maneuver to stall or kill the amndmnt it would be a valid counter to the HC wreckonciliation bill passed by the most radical admin this nation has seen.
A bill that has horrendous consequences to the economy, freedom and traditional values..and you lemmings speak out against a common sense amendment prohibiting sex offenders from getting Viagra..again listen to yourselves & take a look in the mirror..while you're gazing into your soulless eyes ask your self this:
Do you want public $$ for sex offender viagra(you may if ur an Obamabot) So ask yourself this:
If Obama can get HC rammed through...why can't he approve a short amendment via a fix?
Of course they can!
Remember your mindless Marxist Chant? Yes We Can!
All it would take is a little work in the House so save the OMG BS report & BS GOP!
I just read the amendment by Dr Coburn look for this to be an election issue
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