I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
A final vote on the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) took place earlier today in Washington, D.C., and it passed easily, 290-135. The vote was on the bill that was similar to the bill that already passed the Senate last week and the completed legislation will now head to President Barack Obama’s desk where he is expected to sign it later today.
All three New Mexico legislators voted for the final piece of legislation — which expands access to the children’s health insurance initiative — as they had previously voted for the House version of the bill. In all, only two Democrats voted against the SCHIP bill, while 40 Republicans crossed the aisle to support it.
Similar legislation had been vetoed by President George W. Bush twice in 2007, but Obama expressed support for the bill while on the campaign trail.
Rep. Harry Teague, a Hobbs Democrat, praised the passage of the bill saying he was “proud to join my colleagues from both sides of the aisle in passing the bill which will “improve the health and chance for success for 11 million children, reduce the much more costly use of emergency rooms for primary care.”
His colleague Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, a Santa Fe Democrat, said he was “proud that this legislation will reach the President’s desk for his signature today.”
Lujan said it would help New Mexico families. “Over 32,000 children in New Mexico could receive health care coverage through this legislation, which is especially critical as families in New Mexico struggle in this difficult economy.”
Rep. Martin Heinrich, an Albuquerque Democrat, also voted for the measure.
Meanwhile, Congress Matters notes that Obama failed to live up to one of his campaign promises.
The almost-embarrassingly-pedantic bad news? Team Obama will now be 0-for-2 in honoring the pledge to post all non-emergency legislation on the White House Web site for public comment before the president signs it.
