Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-GA) dies at age 65,

[MoonRiver]

Breaking on C-SPAN.

[goclark]

1. Was he retired? nt

[Bluebear]

3. No. Condolences to family and friends.

http://www.house.gov/norwood/

[ronnykmarshall]

14. This must have been very sudden

His website has links to legislation he introduced just yesterday.

[itsmesgd]

18. I just saw him a little while ago, I thought

[Bluebear]

21. See downthread, it was his last request to have bill re introduced

[MoonRiver]

4. I don't know.

The blurb didn't say "retired" or "former" though.

[Virginia Dare]

5. No, current...

http://www.house.gov/norwood/

[lastliberalintexas]

2. How sad

65 seems so young these days.

[MoonRiver]

6. Yes, and Molly was even younger (62).

:cry:

[Bluebear]

40. Indeed :(

[Skidmore]

7. Was he the guy with cancer that was moved to the hospice a

couple of weeks ago?

Rest his soul and condolences to his family. Cancer is such a horrible, horrible disease--equally bad to live with or die from.

[Virginia Dare]

Yes, see post #10..n/t

[lancdem]

Yes, he's the one

May he rest in peace.

[MoonRiver]

12. R.I.P. Rep. Norwood.

O8)

[AlCzervik]

8. rip Charlie.

[qanda]

9. Sad

Condolences to his family.

[Virginia Dare]

10. Died of lung cancer...

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ga10_norwood/GoingHome.html

[ronnykmarshall]

11. How sad.

He was very young.

RIP Charlie.

[Cobalt Violet]

23. Not for lung cancer.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ga10_norwood/GoingHome.html

[CottonBear]

13. He was my congressman. He'd been very sick for years and years.

I did not agree with his politics (he was a very conservative Republican and a former dentist from Augusta, GA) but I feel that he died with dignity. He just came home a few days ago. He went fast.

RIP Mr. Norwood.

[goclark]

20. RIP nt

[itsmesgd]

15. condolences from South Georgia

[salin]

16. RIP

looks like shortly before leaving the hill to go to hospice care back home in Ga, he and rep. John Dingell (D-Mich) reintroduced the 'Patients Bill of Rights' they have been trying to get passed for years. That would be a nice legacy for him to leave.

[Bluebear]

17. LAST REQUEST: REINTRODUCED PATIENTS BILL OF RIGHTS YESTERDAY

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-blogs/ajc/politicalinsider/entries/2007/02/12/perhaps_a_last_request_in_the.html

Perhaps a last request: In the end, Charlie Norwood goes back to the beginning


On Monday, U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood’s office announced that the congressman had reintroduced the original, bipartisan Patient’s Bill of Rights that he’d fought so hard for in the 1990s.

Norwood, currently undergoing hospice treatment in Augusta, ordered the 1999 legislation reintroduced without change, as it was approved by the House that year, “knowing his original co-author, U.S. Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) is now House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman, and can be relied on to safely update the bill as necessary without sacrificing patient protections,” according to the press release.

The Augusta congressman “acknowledged he will not be able to further impact debate on the legislation,” the release said.

Norwood made his mark in Congress shortly after he came in 1994, when he broke ranks with fellow Republicans and launched a decade-long fight to protect patients from health insurance providers.

Having dealt with insurance companies for years as a dentist, he’d concluded their interests and patients’ interests weren’t always the same.

Norwood pestered Speaker Gingrich on flights to and from Atlanta to take up the issue, and in Washington, he built a coalition of 230 Democrats and Republicans to eventually force Gingrich to bring the bill to a vote.

Among other things, the bill would have allowed patients to sue HMOs that overruled doctors and refused to pay for recommended treatments.

The House approved it twice, and President Bill Clinton once took up the cause.

Norwood’s fellow conservatives and President Bush objected to key provisions, and in 2001 Norwood cut a last-minute deal with Bush - eliminating the right for patients to sue for malpractice - to avoid a presidential veto.

Giving in to Bush cost Norwood all of his Democratic support and his fight never again regain its prominence on Congress’ agenda.

In December, Norwood wrote that his bill might be something for Democrats, soon to be in control of Congress, to consider. “If the Democrats can use their new majority to pull that off, they will and should score big with the public,” he wrote.

[RB TexLa]

36. And of course Doctor's interests aren't always the same as the patient's either.

Not craping him or what he wanted but the bill of rights needs to include some transparency there too. Such as you get treated for a cold and the doctor bills the insurance company for something more severe because she thinks, "I deserve to have more money for treatment than I agreed to and signed a contract to receive."

[wicket]

19. RIP

Prayers for his family.

[myrna minx]

22. RIP, Rep. Charlie Norwood.

May the patients bill of rights be passed in your honor.

[jazzwinders]

24. RIP

Condolences to his family

[deadmessengers]

25. RIP

Even though he wasn't one of ours, his "patient's bill of rights" showed that his heart was most definitely in the right place. I hope that it passes in its full version in this Congress, as a tribute to Rep. Norwood.

[jollyreaper2112]

30. Figures

If a republican has to die, it has to be one of the nice ones. Only the good die young, only evil seems to live forever. Speaking of Cheney, think Iron Maiden could use him about now as a new mascot? Certainly scarier than Eddie could ever hope to be.

[MonkeyFunk]

26. RIP

too young, and it's an awful way to go. Condolences to his family.

[kirby]

27. Condolences

While he was a Iraq war supporter, A message from Charlie Norwoods website is apropo during the Iraq War non-binding resolution debate during which his death was announced.

"The war in Iraq has become a serious point of debate between well-meaning Americans of all political stripes. Recent discussion in Congress and other forums of public debate have demonstrated the strong passions of individuals on both sides. I believe these conversations are a necessary part of our democratic process. Nothing is inherently wrong with criticizing the decision to go to war or critiquing the way in which the war is being conducted. What is not acceptable is for either side to engage in baseless accusations or revisionist history in an effort to prove their point."

[jaysunb]

37. Good post & welcome to DU

:hi:

[Richard Steele]

28. Condolences to his family and loved ones. nm

[Bluzmann57]

29. How very sad

R.I.P. Rep. Norwood. Condolences to his family.

[judaspriestess]

31. RIP

My godmother died at 43 of cancer. Tragic for all families including Mr. Norwoods.

[Kadie]

32. Condolences to his family and friends. n/t

[Benhurst]

33. R.I.P.

[LSK]

34. RIP

[Raffi Ella]

35. sad.cancer is an awful way to go.

I hope he wasn't in too much pain before he died.May he rest in peace.

[Hosnon]

38. R.I.P.

Rep. Norwood was my Congressman.

[roguevalley]

39. I heard in the news he was ill. RIP, Mr. Norwood. I feel for your family.

[buff2]

41. Oh..........that is sad to hear

Condolences to his family and friends. I've seen too many people die from lung cancer lately. My neighbor just died last week at the age of 62 from lung cancer.A very good friend of mine has it and is in bad shape. It's depressing. :cry:

[Colobo]

42. RIP

Cancer and AIDS are, along with wars, the biggest enemies of the human race.

[Subdivisions]

43. May he rest in peace.

[Horse with no Name]

44. My sympathies to his family.

The Patient Bill of Rights is a Democratic principle...regardless of who wrote it. I hope it passes in his honor.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

45. My sincere thoughts, prayers, condolences and symapthies to Mr. Norwood's family

And may Mr. Norwood rest in peace. He served his country with honor and dignity in Vietnam and he continued his record of service in the House. I mourn his loss and once again extend my sympathies to his family