PA-7 Candidate Conner Urges Chamber of Commerce to Get Behind Health Bill

By CONNER FOR CONGRESS

EDGMONT, PA, November 23, 2009 – Democratic Congressional candidate Gail M. Conner (PA-7) announced today her support for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and sent a letter to U.S. Chamber of Commerce President William Donohue urging the Chamber to get behind the bill.

“As the Senate begins its debate on this critical piece of legislation, I would urge our Senators to preserve the public option part of the bill, and keep those parts of the legislation that protect citizens from discrimination in healthcare coverage, Conner said.”

Conner, a Delaware County business owner, also sent a letter to U.S. Chamber president Thomas Donahue urging that organization to end its multi-million dollar campaign against the bill and “get behind real healthcare reform today.”

“The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act would contain costs and provide access to quality healthcare for all Americans,” said Conner in the letter. “In addition, it would provide immediate protections for consumers, including protecting people from discriminatory practices, and provide a public option for those who are uninsured,” Conner said in the letter, which continues “Mr. Donohue, healthcare reform is good for business.”

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 1.1 million Pennsylvania residents are uninsured and don’t have access to affordable healthcare. “As a candidate for Congress, an employer and a mother I am concerned about the hardship that the high cost of and/or the lack of health insurance places on the residents of our district,” continued Conner.

Conner is an environmental lawyer and activist and small-business owner from Edgmont. She has been active in the community and politics during the more than 16 years she has lived in PA-7. She was appointed to the Citizens Advisory Council of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) by Governor Rendell in June 2005 and reappointed in February 2008. In 2000, she was named Businesswoman of the Year by the Great Valley Chamber of Commerce in Chester County.

The full text of Conner’s letter is below.
Dear Mr. Donahue:

I am writing to strongly urge the Chamber of Commerce to support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act currently pending in the United States Senate.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 1.1 million Pennsylvania residents are uninsured and don’t have access to affordable healthcare; 220,000 of these residents are children. Nationally, over 40 million Americans are uninsured, and millions more are underinsured.

As a mother and small-business owner, I know how important affordable healthcare is to the people in our community. Large and small businesses alike are being forced to reevaluate their current coverage offerings and decide whether or not they can continue to provide healthcare to their employees and families.

During the current economic crisis, millions have been laid off or are experiencing reduced pay and/or hours. Now these same people are being hit with the added burden of losing their health insurance or skyrocketing healthcare costs. In my District alone last year, over 400 families declared bankruptcy last year as a result of crushing medical bills.

As a candidate for Congress, an employer and former Chamber member, I am concerned about the hardship that the high costs and/or lack of health insurance puts on the residents of our District and our country. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act would contain costs and provide access to quality healthcare for all Americans. In addition, it would provide immediate protections for consumers, including protecting people from discriminatory practices and provide a public option for those who are uninsured.

As important as healthcare reform is for individuals and families, it is equally important for all of us who are business owners. There are almost 15,000 small businesses in PA-7 alone that could receive tax credits to offer health insurance to their employees, as well as hospitals that would benefit from a decrease in uncompensated care.

Mr. Donohue, healthcare reform is good for business. I strongly urge the Chamber to end its multi-million dollar campaign against this critical legislation, and get behind real healthcare reform today.

Sincerely,

Gail Conner

Candidate for Congress, PA-7

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