Any one of the Republican House members listed below could have stopped the creation of an expensive new federal entitlement in the form of a Medicare drug benefit. The bill passed the House by only one vote, 216-215. These members still have a chance to kill the new entitlement by voting against the final version of the bill that will be crafted by a House-Senate conference committee. Call them at (202) 224-3121 to let them know your views.
Pat Toomey (Pa.): Toomey (lifetime ACU rating: 97%) ran the risk of dampening the nationwide conservative support for his Republican primary challenge against liberal Sen. Arlen Specter (R.-Pa.).
Butch Otter (Idaho): Otter (ACU: 97%) voted for the prescription drug bill last year. This time, on the House floor, he first voted no, then switched his vote to yes.
Jo Ann Emerson (Mo.): The Washington Post reported-in a story her office denied-that she was crying after being arm-twisted into changing her vote from a no to a yes. Emerson (ACU: 88%) voted "no" last year.
Sue Myrick (N.C.): The chairwoman of the conservative Republican Study Committee (ACU: 95%) did not rally her group of 80 conservatives to oppose the legislation. She herself voted for it.
Donald Manzullo (Ill.): Manzullo (ACU: 97%) voted no last year, but yes this year.
J. D. Hayworth (Ariz.): The yes vote by the outspoken conservative (ACU: 99%) may be attributable to his leadership aspirations.
Phillip Crane (Ill.): After years of fighting for limited government, Crane (ACU: 99%) voted yes.
Christopher Cox (Calif.): The conservative leader (ACU: 98%) and HUMAN EVENTS favorite was not willing to buck the rest of the House leadership.
Mac Collins (Ga.): Collins (ACU: 96%), who is running for the retiring Zell Miller’s (D.-Ga.) Senate seat, voted against the bill last year, but changed his mind this time. He faces a tough Senate primary next year against moderate Rep. Johnny Isakson (R.-Ga.). He apparently feared a "no" vote might have angered President Bush or alienated some senior voters.
Steve King (Iowa): Reputed to be a staunch conservative, freshman King told HUMAN EVENTS June 26 that he would be voting "no." He voted "yes."
Scott Garrett (N.J.): A poster-boy of the Club for Growth, Garrett still voted for this new entitlement.
Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.): The outspoken anti-income tax freshman from Tennessee showed far less courage on this new government giveaway.
