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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: michael97123 who wrote (454013)	2/4/2009 11:10:19 AM
From: longnshort	1 Recommendation Respond to of 1573505

It's all about pork. STD, no-smoking cash still in bill Democrats redefine health funds S.A. Miller (Contact) Wednesday, February 4, 2009 Senate Democrats, mocked over trying to stimulate the economy with $475 million to fight smoking and sexually transmitted diseases, removed the programs from the economic recovery package on Tuesday. But the money remains. And, yes, it can still be tapped to help smokers quit and to prevent the spread of STDs. Under the revised legislation, the secretary of health and human services can dole out the nearly half-billion dollars on prevention of any disease, including STDs, and on a wide array of smoking-related ailments from cancer to hypertension. "It's a shell game," said Sen. John Ensign of Nevada, chairman of the Republican Policy Committee. "That's why this bill needs to be stopped. That's just one of the reasons." Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Senate Appropriations health subcommittee and a chief supporter of the programs, acknowledged that the funds still could end up paying for his pet projects. "Whatever works," the Iowa Democrat said. "It would be up to the secretary." Mr. Harkin said the anti-smoking and STD programs were lightning rods for criticism and should never have been listed in the bill. "Just put everything in and let the secretary decide what works. It makes sense to me," he said. The flap is just one battle front on the stimulus plan as Republicans push for a major rewrite of President Obama's $885 billion bill. Republicans say it is too expensive and doles out money on a "Democratic wish list" that does little to boost the economy. washingtontimes.com