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Men and Families Health Care Act of 2009 remains in committee
Submitted by Matt on Thu, 2009-11-05 17:10
The Men and Families Health Care Act of 2009 remains in committee with only 5 co-sponsors while a huge overhaul of the US health care system chocked with specific clauses and provisions directly benefiting only women is poised for a House vote by this week-end.
Undoubtedly this bill will die in committee. Maybe someone will reintroduce it next year. We can make sure that happens by contacting our various reps. Whether or not it passes is another matter. Bill summary:
"Men and Families Health Care Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the Office of Men's Health. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Office, to: (1) conduct, support, coordinate, and promote programs and activities to improve the state of men's health in the United States; and (2) provide for consultation among HHS agencies and offices to coordinate men's health programs and activities and establish a clinical registries database to assess and measure quality improvement of programs and activities relating to men's health."
Do men need "special attention" (like the kind women get) from legislators? Look at some facts and you be the judge. My answer is "Yes".
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Comments
YANKEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The NY Yankees are world champions! With that said, is baseball a MRA issue? Probably not, but a pig in shit couldn't be happier then me.
Good Grief!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't take it personally Anthony, but this is one of the reasons men, especially in the US, are up the creek without a paddle - they are too concerned with baseball and gridiron to worry about little things like an Office of Men's Health.
Also, it doesn't surprise me that this is going nowhere, American politicians don't care about anyone except women and the rich.
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Rise, Rebel, Resist.
RE: Good Grief!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Admittedly, commenting on the Yankees was probably not the best idea considering the importance of men's health. However, there are times when I think some of the guys here need to loosen up a bit. Personally, I don't see any harm in deviating from the topic on occasion.
By the way. With each home run hit during the 2009 season, MLB donated money to prostate cancer.
In a way, baseball and men's health goes hand in hand.
Another thought: Over the years, I've submitted many men's health articles for Matt's approval. I'm well aware of men's health and how it relates to our movement.
I'm not sure if your British, but for a New Yorker, the Yankee's winning the World Series is similar to Manchester United winning a championship.
Also, please tell me why you think Americans 'are up the creek without a paddle'?
Same thing only different
This is the same bill that has been ignored for years. I think since about 2000. At one time we got quite a few co-sponsors but it still would die in committee. Getting anything passed for men is nearly impossible. I'm sure that is why they changed the name of the bill to its present "Men and Families" title instead of the previous "Men's Health Act". Congress is filled with people both men and women who have no interest in anything that might be of help to men and an overdeveloped interest in anything having to do with helping women. We are fighting a beast that is huge and invisible.
Who do I contact?
Who do I contact about this bill?...Congressman,Senators,the sponsors of the bill, or my representative?
Prostate cancer.
I had no clue that MLB donated money to fight prostate cancer. Now the NFL on the other hand...If they could only be convinced that chivalry is dead. There are enough supporters of the fight against breast cancer out there already. I'm not a sports fan but it's nice to see another organization supporting fighting cancers which mainly attack men.
Eventually, all of the above
For now I'd say if you want to speak out in favor of this bill, contact your Congressoid and the bill's co-sponsors. A message of support won't even get to a senator at this point or anyone who isn't already on board with the bill (which would be a whole 1.13% of the current US Congress... *sigh*....)
Contact info for Congressoids can be looked up here: http://www.house.gov/
If this bill (ie, the MFHCA of 2009) is going to see the light of day any time soon, MRAs will have to rally when the Congress re-convenes next year -- or if they haven't stopped arguing over the current health care legislation, maybe not until the 112th Congress. The chances of this bill making it anywhere near the committee-room's exit sign much less to a floor vote before the current health care broo-ha-ha has passed by are as close to zero-point-zero-zero as I can imagine.
Sorry to be a downer but I see myself as a realist (as most wet blankets do....)
Ask your rep to be a co-sponsor
Make sure to ask your representatives to be a co-sponsor. This forces their hand. If they refuse you know you have a misandrous rep and can point that out to them and everyone else. If they agree you have one more co-sponsor for the bill and the more of those you have the better off you are, even if the bill dies later.