By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Analyst

March 19, 2010 – Good news for U.S. territories; Del. Donna M. Christensen (D-Virgin Islands) announced Thursday  she and fellow territorial delegates were successful in including the territories in the health care reform bill released by the House leadership.

 “After numerous meetings over the past two weeks with members and senior staff and with the leadership in the House, Senate and with President Obama, the territories are in the bill,” Christensen said.

While Christensen is pleased with the current proposal she said the bill was not perfect but will play a “significant role in improving the health care of the American men, women and children living in the U.S. territories.”

“Not only will the U.S. Virgin Islands receive an enormous infusion of new Medicaid dollars, but we also have access to the health insurance exchange.”

 Christensen released a statement thanking, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.),  House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), and her colleagues in the Congressional Tri-Caucus, which includes Latino and Asia members of Congress. 

“This whole process confirms that when ordinary people come together around common ground, extraordinary things can happen, Christensen declared.

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Analyst

March 18, 2010 – On Wednesday I was able to follow up on my blog about the impact the Senate version of the health care bill could have on the 4.5 million U.S. citizens in the territories. 

Sec. Kathleen Sebelius, Department of Health and Human Services

During a roundtable at the White House Wednesday with Secretary of Health and Humans Services Kathleen Sebelius I asked her about Del. Donna Christensen (D-Virgin Islands) concerns. (See my Blog March 17)

Sebelius told me, “I spoke with Del. Christensen two days ago – while I don’t have all the details I know the president’s proposal being finalized deals with her concerns in a very positive and significant way.”

Christensen told Sebelius she was very concerned how the territories would fair if the Senate version of the bill was passed with the current language.  “I know she had some very positive sessions with the White House and the speaker’s office and feels the president’s proposal will address” those concerns, Sebelius said.

I also asked the secretary why the territories are often faced with challenges like this when legislation is being created.  

“I don’t know why; but historically they just have been from when those programs [Medicare and Medicaid] were originally set up,” she said.  “Medicare and Medicaid were treated with different matching rates – why they were framed that way I don’t know,” the secretary said.

It looks like a vote on health care reform will take place on Sunday. Just what will make the final version of the bill is still in negotiations.  But Sebelius sounded confident the needs of the territories will be addressed.

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Analyst

March 17, 2010 – As Democratic leaders in Congress work on rounding up the votes to get a health care bill passed, one Black lawmaker is working to make sure 4.5 million Americans in U.S. territories aren’t left out.

Del. Donna Christensen (D-Virgin Islands) is leading efforts to make sure the territories aren’t excluded in critical measure of a reform bill during negotiations.  The president is aware of a list of concerns from advocates, but the priority to maintain a proposal without adding additional costs appears to be a sticking point.  

So why has cost become the factor for this relatively small population?

According to the Pureto Rico Daily Sun, officials there have accused Obama of reneging on his word to phase out the cap on Medicaid funding and the inclusion of the territories in the insurance exchange designed to help the uninsured buy coverage with federal subsidies. 

U.S. territories are home to 4.5 million U.S. citizens. Some of Christensen’s concerns are aliens living in the States and non-citizens would be eligible for federal subsidies under the exchange; something her constituents would be denied.

Citizens in the territories under the current version of the bill would also be left out of various consumer protections including:  provisions limiting an insurance company’s ability to deny coverage based on a pre-existing condition, lifetime limits on coverage, and dropped coverage after an individual becomes sick.

As Congress works toward resolution, delegates for the territories are pressing for provisions in the bill just like those for the States.  Christensen considers this a “moral obligation” and a request for “equality” for the men, women and children who live in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam. 

Do you think the U.S. territories are being treated fairly?

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Analyst

Nov. 6, 2009 – The feisty and outspoken New York Rep. Charles Rangel (D) and several other Black lawmakers will most likely be cleared of any wrongdoing by the House ethics committee on Friday.

Rangel has been the subject of an investigation looking into several financial irregularities, including his failure to report more than a half million dollars in assets.  Rangel always maintained it was an accounting error and that he would be cleared. 

Republicans have tried unsuccessfully for months to get him to step down from chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, one of the most powerful committees in Congress, but Rangel declined to do so and for good reasons. 

Roll Call is reporting Rangel along with four other members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) will be cleared of any misconduct for taking a privately financed trip to the Caribbean.  The investigation centered on whether a trip to the Caribbean privately financed broke House travel rules.  I was told by staffers, lawmakers checked with the ethic committee before taking the trip and it was deemed permissible.  It’s not clear why the committee started the probe after the members reported it in their disclosure filings.

The four other Black lawmakers who will reportedly be cleared are: Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-MI), Donald Payne (D-NJ), and Del. Donna Christensen (D-Virgin Islands).

On Thursday a group of high-profile New York Democrats held a rally on the steps of City Hall to show their support for Rangel.  Former New York Mayor David Dinkins told the crowd, Rangel has had a long record of public service, “Folks seem to have a short memory.”

David Jones, one of the organizers of the rally chided the media for their coverage of Rangel, “Where is the balance? Everything makes him out to look like he’s on the take.”

This will be good news for Rangel and the other four Black lawmakers who can put this all behind them. But for California Reps. Maxine Waters (D) and Laura Richardson (D)  it’s just beginning.  Last week the ethics committee opens two probes looking into Waters role facilitating meeting with minority bankers and government officials and Richardson relationship with the lender who foreclosed on her home.  (See my Blog Oct. 30)

The House ethics committee has launched investigations into seven Black lawmakers; more than 15 percent of the total members in the House, no White members are under any full-scale ethics committee probe.  Politco.com is reporting, an eighth Black member, Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.) would also be under an investigation if the Justice Department hadn’t stepped in and asked the committee to stand down.

The 10 member committee seems to have targeted Black lawmakers and is keeping them on the ropes of defending their names and reputations.  It appears to be a distraction they just have to cope with. 

Several of the 42 members of the CBC are majority ranking members and chair powerful House committees, some of these investigations could be a way to weaken their influence or remove them from power under a cloud of controversy. 

It can’t be ignored that all of the ethics investigations are focused on Black lawmakers; they are being held to higher standard and it looks like the other 393 lawmakers are getting a pass.