While Lamar Smith has gained power and prestige in Congress, Texas has become the home to the highest number of uninsured children in America. According to the 2008 Census, almost 30% of children under 18 yrs old, in our district alone, are either uninsured or are already on a government insurance program. In our district alone, the newly passed health care reform bill will give the opportunity of insurance to over 25,000 of our uninsured children, over 93,000 uninsured adults, and almost 2,000 uninsured seniors. In our district alone, over 75,000 young adults, of whom 1 of 4 lives below the poverty level, will qualify to stay on their parents' insurance policy instead of adding them to the pool of uninsured or government subsidized. In our district alone, over 35% of our population of all ages, and 95% of our seniors, almost 300,000 of our neighbors, are either uninsured or are already on a government insurance program. Yet our community suffers from only a little over 4% unemployment. Our neighbors are not trying to get something for nothing. They work hard, and they deserve an opportunity to purchase the security net of affordable health insurance for themselves and their families.
Read More