Angry Clinton confronts McCain on Senate floor over blocked 9/11 funds

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN: Sen. Clinton confronts McCain over blocked 9/11 funds
March 30, 2007


Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton sought a $45 million amendment to the war spending bill for a 9/11 responders' health care program.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, described as frustrated and animated, confronted presidential rival Sen. John McCain on the Senate floor after he blocked funding for a 9/11 responders' health care program, people familiar with the encounter told CNN.

Clinton, D-New York, has worked for years to secure funding for the program, a $45 million amendment added to the $120 billion-plus emergency funding bill for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"She got pretty hot about it," a Senate appropriations committee aide said about Thursday's encounter. "She went over to him and was trying to convince it was a needed program, an important program, and was rebuffed."

McCain, R-Arizona, and two other fiscal conservatives, Sens. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, and Richard Burr, R-North Carolina, objected to Clinton's amendment -- and its $45 million price tag.

The objection forced Democratic leaders to withdraw the amendment.

McCain supports the 9/11 program but wants it funded during through the regular appropriations process, his office said....

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/30/clinton.mccain/index.html

[LostinVA]

1. You go, HRC!

[BOSSHOG]

2. Petty fucking conservatives objecting to a $45 million expenditure

They give a drug addicted military deserter 5 billion dollars a month because he wants to be a war president.

My hate is rational.

[bullimiami]

3. fiscal conservative my ass.

he objects to 45million while throwing away hundreds of billions. the entire gang of them have helped bush sink us in this debt swamp.

its all about WHERE its going. NY firefighters in need of health care are of little concern to him.
defense contractors and the petro industry are though.

fiscal conservative is a huge steaming LIE and im not surprised that cnn doesnt have the brains to do little more than parrot what they are told to believe.

[rodeodance]

4. nothing wrong with being frustrated. she has tried previously to

get this money for health related 9/11 concerns (then a repug congress and it was blocked)

[wyldwolf]

5. damn DLC corporate shill!

[William769]

7. I would have taken offense at that comment,

Till I saw who made it. :)

[wyldwolf]

8. she KNEW the media would pick up on the story and someone would post it here...

... which would score her points in the netroots. See how calculating she is? :)

[salin]

6. Good work Senator Clinton!

hang this on them - its part of their trackrecord of neglect for those citizens who serve to keep other citizens safe. It is the same theme as the slashing of healthcare for returning vets. As long as they are their wealthy buddies get to keep all of their tax cuts and refunds all is well... screw everyone else.

[Bucky]

9. This is about the presidential election, of course.

Forty-five million is chickenfeed to these PNACers. McCain and his buddies are shooting down this money because they think Clinton has the nomination sewn up and they want to make it look like she's not an effective legislator. To do this, they're willing to screw over a few 9/11 heroes who, after all, don't vote in Arizona or Oklahoma.

Clinton's legislative track record is quite good for someone who's been in the minority for all but the last few months. They want a silver bullet to shoot down that item on her resume. And what could be more "silver" than 9/11 legislation? They agitate her on purpose, hoping she'll snap in a public way. After all, who do you think gave this story to the reporter? Someone on Burr or Coburn's staff. She got pissed, but she didn't snap; so expect more gamesmanship on key legislation from the wingers.

[William769]

10. Damn! And here I thought it was someone on DU that gave the MSM the story.

[karynnj]

11. Does anyone know why the Dem leadership dropped this

Also, McCain says he wants it funded through the regular process - but wouldn't that be a budget that will go into affect in July. My question is would being in the regular process slow them getting help.

If not, could that be why it was dropped. Also, why didn't Hillary yell at Reid, who made the decision. Am I missing something? (Note: Obama/McCaskill also was droped and that was for veteran health.)

If we have the majority, shouldn't we at least be able to get 2 things like this?

[Supersedeas]

12. Richard Burr is a Bush ass-kissing simpleton - only McHenry could appreciate