Last week, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5, an extreme bill that would severely undermine patients’ rights. The vote was 223-181.
We are extremely disappointed. Christine Hines blogged last week about the damaging impact of this bill, which would let the medical industry to go virtually unpunished when patients are harmed or killed by the industry’s negligence or recklessness.
We put together a vote chart (PDF) so you can find out how your representative voted. Here’s the basic breakdown:
Our efforts to thwart H.R. 5 resulted in a robust, bipartisan opposition. Most Democrats voted no, as did 10 Republicans: Amash (R-Mich.), Duncan (R-Tenn.), Garrett (R-N.J.), Gohmert (R-Texas), Griffith (R-Va.), Johnson (Ill.), Poe (R-Texas), Terry (R-Neb.) and Webster (R-Fla.).
Most Republicans voted in favor of the bill. Seven Democrats joined them: Boren (D-Okla.), Cardoza (D-Calif.), Hochul (D-N.Y.), Kissell (D-N.C.), Matheson (D-Utah), Peterson (D-Minn.) and David Scott (D-Ga.).
Four Republicans voted simply “Present”: Broun (R-Ga.), King (R-Iowa), Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) and Woodall (R-Ga.).
Twenty-three members (11 Republicans and 12 Democrats) did not vote: Ackerman (D-N.Y.), Austria (R-Ohio), Bachus (R-Ala.), Bishop (R-Utah), Bono Mack (R-Calif.), Brown (D-Fla.), Castor (D-Fla.), Chaffetz (R-Utah), Davis (D-Ill.), Duffy (R-Wis.) Gonzalez (D-Texas), Gutierrez (D-Ill.), Jackson (D-Ill.), Kinzinger (R-Ill.), Lee (D-Calif.), Lowey (D-N.Y.), Manzullo (R-Ill.), Marchant (R-Texas), Marino (R-Pa.), McIntyre (D-N.C.), Paul (R-Texas), Rangel (D-N.Y.) and Thompson (D-Miss.).
Follow this link for a full vote chart (PDF).
Share your thoughts about how your representative voted and the outcome of this vote in the comments below.
And let’s make sure the Senate stops this awful bill.
janet
don’t see any votes from Colorado. Why not? Do they not have to attend? Are votes done by proxy when they cannot attend? How can we have representation when they do not attend or do not vote? What’s the point? Where is the integrity for a truthful democracy?
March 27, 2012 at 5:30 pm
Patrick Collins
This is sickening and appalling. Every day, our own government takes further and further strikes against us. Now, the increasingly haphazard ‘work’ of the supergiant corporation for medicine and supplies (how they manage to consider an allergy medicine that can cause stroke and kidney failure acceptable is beyond my comprehension) can freely create whatever poisonous crap they want and patients have no say? If this passes as well, its very possible that standards in hospitals will drop and we will see a noticeable rise in patient infection and death due to malpractice and unsanitary measures because now nobody will get punished for their negligence.
March 27, 2012 at 5:45 pm
Robert Boyce
I have emailed my Rep. asking why he voted for it, and quoting your assessment of it.
March 27, 2012 at 5:50 pm
Susan Crawford
Heinous industry payout.
March 27, 2012 at 5:56 pm
Wendy Fast
Rep. Hochul is a Democrat filling a traditionally Republican seat. By golly, she should have run on the Republican ticket, given the way she keeps voting. I’m so disappointed she got my vote.
March 27, 2012 at 6:26 pm
Philip Alvarado
I find it hard to believe that as important as this issue is to protect us from Doctors who aren’t qualified or who may want to experiment on Humans, and our Elected Official didn’t even show up to vote, what a DISGRACE !!!!!
March 27, 2012 at 6:38 pm
Deanna Essert
Apparently, the medical care that the Affordable Care Act provides will have a moral cost as well as a financial cost.
March 27, 2012 at 7:28 pm
Gary Strawley
Its only about taking corporate and lobbist money!!!
They do not care about PEOPLE! only momeyit is called a CORPORATOCRACY=RULED BY the corporations!! WAKE UP!!
SPECK UP!!!
March 27, 2012 at 11:25 pm
Bonnie Logan
How discouraging. More evidence (as if we really needed it) that our governemnt is bought and paid for.
March 27, 2012 at 11:27 pm
Janet Wolff
Why didn’t 12 Dems vote? I am especially interested in Davis, Gutierrez, and Jackson. It was 2 days following our state primary, so they were not home campaigning. I am also surprised at Manzullo; he is usually in lock-step with the party faithful and is (not to be corny) in bed with the health care industry. Of course, he lost his primary, so he was probably angry, but interesting.
March 28, 2012 at 12:13 am
Darren
what ever you do don’t let this dangerous bill pass. I’ve been going through a lot of problems from being neglected by doctors. I’ve been having memory and concentration problems for nearly 8 years now and they still haunt told me the problem. they just tell me I’m crazy. this kind of negligence and malpractice needs to stop. if this bill passes and obama signs it i will vote independent for the presidency in this upcoming election instead of obama. we need to get these evil dangerous republicans out of power before everyones rights are taken away.
March 28, 2012 at 12:23 am
MadasHelinVA
I have a medical device which delivers a narcotic implanted in my abdomen with leads directly into my spinal column for the past 30 years because I have had 18 back surgeries and am no longer to stand without support. In the very near future, I am also going to have a ‘tens unit’ implanted in hopes that it will allow me some latitude with standing enough that I can at least do my housework, shower or walk short distances. Being as I have no space in my lumbar or thoracic spine, a special neurosurgeon [all his practice consists of is the implantation of these devices] will have to place this tens device since it is very risky due to my condition. To think that I could end up paralyzed and suffer the financial costs of this wrongdoing would just be too much to bear as I would not have the funds to correct this situation. This bill is wrong on its face and I find it impossible to believe that it PASSED and the members who voted ‘yea’ are not ashamed or embarrassed that they did so. How do these people get elected and how can they even look at themselves in the mirror [unless all they see is green from the profound greed they exhibit]. Please vote them out of office in November – vote democratic for the most part except for those members who voted FOR this bill [see the full vote chart above].
March 28, 2012 at 1:10 pm
Nancy Seats
If only every citizen would watch the documentary Hot Coffee they would learn the truth — “frivolous” lawsuits – a myth promoted by the US Chamber of Commerce to take away the rights of the public to use our civil justice and jury system. Caps on malpractice awards are WRONG. The other myth is that out of control jury awards raise the cost of malpractice insurance — WRONG! The truth is that the insurance industry raises rates and falsely blames juries when the truth is that lawsuits and jury awards have declined over the years.
March 28, 2012 at 2:29 pm
Lea Tomassone
The republicians don’t give a shit about the citizens of the USA. I’m suprised at J. Jackson. He was probly thinking about hia girlfriend at the time.
March 28, 2012 at 8:02 pm
kay abel
the mainstream has been reporting for the last several years that at least 100,000 deaths occur each year due to medical errors many because of medication errors. If this number is true before Hr-5. imagine what it will be if it becomes law. I simply cannot, will not believe this could happen. Please everyone please tell your friends, relatives and neighbors to speak to their reps in congress to urge them to stop this horrendous bill.
March 29, 2012 at 1:44 am