| By Bob Marcus, CAOMA MediCare Lobbyist |
| Ron Paul of Texas |
| On Tuesday, September 20, Represtentative Ron Paul (R), 14th district, Texas, became the 45th co-sponsor of the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2005. |
| This is the second time that Rep. Paul has co-sponsored Rep. Hinchey's Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act. Two years ago, on April 29, 2003, Rep. Paul co-sponsored the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2003, H. R. 1477. |
| Roscoe G. Bartlett of Maryland |
| On Tuesday, September 20, Represtentative Roscoe G. Bartlett (R), 6th district, Maryland, became the 46th co-sponsor of the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2005. |
| This is the forth consecutive congress in which Rep.Bartlett is a co-sponsor of Rep. Hinchey's acupuncture bill. Five years ago, in the 106th Congress, Rep. Bartlett co-sponsored the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 1999, H. R. 1890, on June 8, 2000. Rep. Bartlett was an original co-sponsor of the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2001, H. R. 747, four years ago, on February 27, 2001. In the last Congress, two years ago, Rep. Bartlett co-sponsored the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2003, H. R. 1477, on June 18, 2003. |
| There are now two co-sponsors of H. R. 818 from the State of Texas, and four co-sponsors of H. R. 818 from the State of Maryland. Rep. Paul's and Rep. Bartlett's co-sponsorship of H. R. 818 now leaves twenty-two representatives who co-sponsored H. R. 1477 in the 108th Congress, who have not, thus far, co-sponsored H. R. 818 in this Congress. |
| Rep. Hinchey's bill is indeed, a bi-partisan bill. Thirty-eight of the current co-sponsors of H. R. 818 are Democrats. Given Rep. Paul's and Rep. Bartlett's latest co-sponsorship of H. R. 818, there are now seven Republican co-sponsors and one Independent co-sponsor of Rep. Hinchey's bill. |
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| You can help increase the number of co-sponsors in this session of Congress, which still has one year and three months to go. A hearing on Rep. Hinchey's bill can be held in the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health once the threshold of 100 co-sponsors is reached. |
| Please contact me, Robert E. Marcus, CAOMA's lobbyist to pass H. R. 818, at Marcus_Associates@yahoo.com, or at (276) 492-8098, regarding contacting your US Congressional Representative, and urging him or her to co-sponsor H. R. 818, and letting me know that you have done so. Everytime a local constituent (voter) contacts their Representative, I follow up with the member's Health Aide (the staff person assigned to review health-related legislation) on Capitol Hill. |
| Thank you very much. |
| Sincerely yours, |
| Bob Marcus |
| Marcus_Associates@yahoo.com |
| (276) 492-8098 |