Archive for the ‘Baron Hill’ Category

Baron Hill Launches New Ad - “Welfare”

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

The Baron Hill campaign began airing a new ad this week, “Welfare.”

The ad focuses on just how out of touch Todd Young is with the folks in Southern Indiana. He outrageously called Social Security and Medicare “Social Welfare Programs.”

As we all know - for generations, Hoosiers have paid into these programs with their hard earned dollars.

To call these programs welfare, simply shows that Young is way out of touch with working class Hoosiers and the struggles they encounter every day.

Baron Hill has always fought for those Hoosiers and will continue to do so.

You can watch the ad below:

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Congressmen Carson, Hill stand up for Hoosiers

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

Last week, Congressman André Carson and Congressman Baron Hill penned a letter to Governor Mitch Daniels, urging him to reconsider his knee-jerk reaction to the passage of landmark health care reform. As it turns out, what Governor Daniels said in the immediate aftermath of the bill’s passage was, to put it mildly, a little off-base:

The Healthy Indiana Plan does not have to be terminated because of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, according to the director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS.

In March, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels ordered the state’s medical savings accounts for low-income adults through the Healthy Indiana Plan, or HIP, to be phased out. He also closed HIP for new enrollees.

Daniels said Hoosiers enrolled in the state plan would be picked up by Medicaid through the new federal health care overhaul.

“I see no reason to add people to the rolls of a program whose days are numbered,” Daniels told The Associated Press.

But in a memo addressed to U.S. Rep. Baron Hill, D-Ind., CMS Director Cynthia Mann stated, “Indiana is in no way required to terminate its Healthy Indiana Plan,” which is approved through Dec. 31, 2012.

Hoosiers owe both of these great Democratic leaders our thanks for sticking up for our state.

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Indiana firms thank Hoosier Democrats for health care work

Monday, March 29th, 2010

Maureen Groppe writes this morning of the “thank you” notes that are being sent to Hoosier Democrats after they worked tirelessly on behalf of Indiana companies during the health care reform negotiations.

Indiana is also home to sectors of the health industry that tried to shape the legislation.

The state’s makers of medical devices opposed new industry fees, proposed in the Senate version of the bill to help pay the cost of expanding insurance coverage to 32 million people.

Some Indiana lawmakers, and those from other states with makers of medical devices, pushed for changes. The fees were lowered and changed to an excise tax in a package of fixes to the Senate bill.

AdvaMed, the trade association for the industry, thanked Hill, Ellsworth, Donnelly, Sen. Evan Bayh and others “who worked to improve the situation.”

We’ll echo that sentiment: Thank you, Hoosier Democrats!

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Hoosier Democrats hold steady in face of hateful threats

Friday, March 26th, 2010

Sad news from Indianapolis and Southern Indiana, where two great Hoosier representatives report troubling threats in the aftermath of the historic passage of comprehensive health care reform. Maureen Groppe reports:

Two Indiana Democrats are among lawmakers who have reported receiving threats or troubling phone calls related to their support for landmark legislation overhauling the nation’s health-care system.

Rep. Andre Carson, D-Indianapolis, received some “troubling, racially motivated” phone calls, and Rep. Baron Hill, D-Seymour, has received death threats, aides said.

Both lawmakers’ staffs are working with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to address the situation.

Indiana’s Democratic team in Congress has been standing up for Hoosiers against special interest groups and their lobbyists — we need to be standing up for them, too. Donate to Congressman Hill and Congressman Carson today.

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Congressman Baron Hill won’t pursue Senate bid

Monday, March 1st, 2010

This weekend brought news from the Ninth District, where Congressman Baron Hill released a statement affirming his dedication to his congressional race and vowing to fight for his constituents and a Democratic victory in November.

U.S. Rep. Baron Hill, D-9th District, said Saturday he will not run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Evan Bayh and endorsed fellow congressman Brad Ellsworth of the 8th District for the Democratic nomination.“My focus has been, and will remain, on fulfilling my job as the congressman from Southern Indiana and continuing to address the most pressing issues our nation and great state face, like deficit reduction, health care reform, energy independence and entitlement spending,” Hill said in a statement.

The Indiana Democratic Party released a statement praising Congressman Hill for his years of tireless dedication to the people of Southern Indiana.

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Congressman Hill returns from Afghanistan, sees progress

Friday, February 26th, 2010

After returning from a week-long trip to visit the troops and see the situation on the ground first-hand in Afghanistan, Ninth District Congressman Baron Hill voiced support yesterday for President Barack Obama’s current strategy to address the problems facing this war-torn region. Lesley Stedman Weidenbener of the Courier-Journal reports:

They met with military leaders, foreign leaders, local officials and tribal leaders. Hill also visited with American troops, including some from Southern Indiana, and had meetings with Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal and Pakistan President Asif Ali Sardari.

“You come away from a trip like that very proud – not only of the U.S. but the people defending the U.S.,” Hill said. The soldiers “are making progress in Afghanistan. I have no doubt about that.”

McChrystal “believes he can get it done,” Hill said. “It’s important for Congress to support him.”

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Former Congressman Lee Hamilton praises potential Senate candidates

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

The Hill reports that former Southern Indiana Representative Lee Hamilton has offered good praise for a few of the potential candidates for the Democratic senate nomination. Here’s what he had to say:

Hamilton told The Hill that Ellsworth, a fiscally conservative Blue Dog, “may be the strongest candidate that the Democrats could put forward.”

“He’s moderate, very centrist in voting, would not be identified with liberal wing, he’s an appealing guy, has movie star good looks just like Evan did,” Hamilton said.

Rep. Baron Hill (D-Ind.), another Blue Dog who is mulling a Senate run, would also be a “veteran, seasoned” candidate, Hamilton said.

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Obama To Attend Two Indy Fundraisers

Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

Exciting news for Indiana Democrats! The Indianapolis Star reports:

President Barack Obama will attend two fundraisers in Indianapolis on May 17, with tickets ranging from $250 a person to $15,000 a couple.

According to an Indiana Democratic Party statement, the first stop will be a Keep Indiana Blue event at 4 p.m. at the Westin, 50 S. Capitol Ave. It will raise money for four of the state’s five Democratic House members: Reps. Andre Carson, Joe Donnelly, Brad Ellsworth and Baron Hill. Tickets are available for $250, $1,000, $2,500 or $5,000.

The second fundraiser, also at the Westin, benefits the Democratic National Committee and is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m., according to a Democratic Party source.

Tickets for that event are $15,000 per couple, the source said.

The fundraisers are scheduled on the same day Obama will deliver the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame.

For more information, e-mail keepindianablue@gmail.com.

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Baron Hill Stands Up For Unemployed Hoosiers

Monday, March 2nd, 2009

U.S. Rep. Baron Hill wants to help unemployed Hoosiers, not accuse them of accepting “Rolls Royce” benefits like Gov. Mitch Daniels has. The Louisville Courier-Journal reports:

U.S. Rep. Baron Hill said today that Indiana should accept all the federal stimulus money available for unemployment insurance – even if it means expanding the state’s current program.

“I can tell you people are hurting and they need these benefits,” Hill, D-9th District, said during a visit to the Indiana Statehouse. “The letters and phone calls coming into my office are from people who are desperate and they need help.”

Gov. Mitch Daniels said last week he “probably” will decline some of the money the stimulus package makes available for the state’s unemployment program because it might make the resulting benefits unsustainable once the federal money is gone.

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