Health care bill passes in House
thebattalion ● monday,
november 9, 2009
● Serving
Texas A&M since 1893
Marine tough
■ Democrats fear legislation will stonewall in Senate WASHINGTON — The glow from a health care triumph faded quickly for President Barack Obama on Sunday as Democrats realized the bill they fought so hard to pass in the House has nowhere to go in the Senate. Speaking from the Rose Garden about 14 hours after the late Saturday vote, Obama urged senators to be like runners on a relay team and “take the baton and bring this effort to the finish line on behalf of the American people.” The problem is that the Senate won’t run with it. The government health insurance plan included in the House bill is unacceptable to a few Democratic moderates who hold the balance of power in the Senate. If a government plan is part of the deal, “as a matter of conscience, I will not allow this bill to come to a final vote,” said Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Connecticut independent whose vote Democrats need to overcome GOP filibusters. Reid will keep meeting with senators to see if he can work out a political formula that will give him not only the 60 votes needed to begin debate, but the 60 needed to shut off discussion and bring the bill to a final vote. The House and Senate bills gradually would extend coverage to nearly all Americans by providing government subsidies to help pay premiums. The measures would bar insurers’ practices such as charging more to those in poor health or denying them coverage altogether. All Americans would be required to carry health insurance. To keep down costs, the government subsidies and consumer protections don’t take effect until 2013. Both bills would provide $5 billion in federal dollars to help get coverage for people with medical problems who are turned down by private insurers. The House and Senate would expand the federal-state Medicaid health program for low-income people. The majority of people with employer-provided health insurance would not see changes. The main beneficiaries would be some 30 million people who have no coverage at work or have to buy it on their own. The legislation would create a federally regulated marketplace where they could shop for coverage. Associated Press
Blood center asks for donations The Scott and White Blood Center will have a blood drive on-campus for victims of the Fort Hood shooting. The donation center will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday in front of Sbisa Dining Center. “It’s very important to donate blood anytime,” said Regina Phinney, manager of donor recruitment for the Blood Center. “But due to such a tragedy within our area, we hope everyone will come out and donate. The military touches everyone’s lives, especially here at Texas A&M where service has been established as a long tradition.” Donations will go to the Scott and White Hospital, where some victims of the attack are being treated. Donors must eat before donating and show ID. Joaquin Villegas, staff writer
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Aggies wing it during flight training Prairie View A&M students, Ursala McCarty, Jennifer East and Texas A&M student Douglas Klembara react during a barrel roll.
J.D. Swiger — THE BATTALION
Capt. Rick Burt goes to high altitudes to perform a barrel roll. In this maneuver he flips the plane 360 degrees.
EDITOR’SNOTE Battalion reporter Julie Rambin participated in the Marine Corps Flight Orientation Program Nov. 5. The program
Julie Rambin The Battalion “Come on,” Capt. Rick Birt shouted across the runway. Three women walked toward the plane, apologizing. “We squeezed in this flight — it wasn’t originally on the schedule,” Birt said. Six passengers stood next to the twin-engine
plane. In the next hour all of us would fly this plane. We boarded the plane, with Birt in the pilot’s seat and a passenger as copilot. The propellers started to turn, slowly at first and then so fast they hummed. With headphones on, we could hear the control tower operator talking to pilots on the ground and in the air. Birt grimaced and looked at his watch. “Let’s get the hell out of here,” he said. The engines pulsed and suddenly we were all pushed back in our seats as the plane surged forward. “This runway’s a little bumpy,” Birt said. The plane left the ground with no fanfare other than the excited faces of the passengers, and Birt.
Water for money
See Marines on page 4
Powderpuff raises $9,000 for Head Start ■ 16 sororities and women’s organizations played football to benefit kids
■ Project encourages saving money for wells by drinking tap water
Laura Sanchez
Samantha Johnson The Battalion The Wells Project will begin “two weeks of sacrifice” Monday. The project ct is a 14-day period when they ask students and community members to give up all beverages erages except tap water, and then donate the money that uilding wells they would have spent toward building in developing nations. “The main reason we ask students to give up everything but water is that we don’t realize how privileged we are to have instant access to water,” said Wells Project President Kristen Free. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Nov. 12 at First Baptist Church Bryan another part of the fundraising will be a Shane and Shane concert. “We enjoy their music and know they have a heart for the world as well, so we brought them in and knew that they would facilitate worship,” Free said.
His broad grin showed his love for flying, and for introducing it to others. “We’re going to level off at 6,500 feet,” he said to the student sitting next to him. “I’ll get it stable here and then I’ll give it over to you.” The student cradled the yoke as though she was afraid to hurt it. At Birt’s direction, she turned the yoke gently. The plane turned with it and she smiled, relieved. “Give it a little more,” Birt said. “That’s good.” The students in the cabin looked out the window at the familiar roads and
Evan Andrews — THE BATTALION
Concert tickets are $5, and can be bought online at thewellsproject.tamu.edu up to two days before the concert. After that tickets can be purchased at the door. The money raised will go to Living Water International, an organization that partners with churches in communities in need of wells. “In certain areas, if the well wasn’t on church property, not everyone would have See Wells on page 4
The Battalion The Old Army Gentlemen’s Society had its eighth annual Powderpuff tournament on Saturday at Penberthy Fields. The event is an all-day flag football tournament featuring 16 sororities and women’s organizations on campus. Proceeds of the event benefited Head Start, an early childhood education center for children of lower income families in Bryan. Ol’ AGS raised almost $9,000 for the philanthropy Saturday. “I think it was one of the most successful events we’ve ever had. It seemed like all the girls out there were having a ton of fun. Overall, everybody’s out there to just have some fun and enjoying being out in the sun and playing some football
and ready to help out a good cause,” said Ol’ AGS President Scott Hayter. “I think everybody’s really happy with the outcome of all the hard work we put in,“ he said, “even the teams that didn’t do that great, I think they still had a wonderful time.” The tournament competes with double elimination rounds and about 25 matches were played. Each team was made up of women and assigned three or four coaches from Ol’ AGS. The teams practiced and trained for about two months prior to the tournament. “Over the past two months they basically play like a full cycle of the game,” said Ol’ AGS Public Relations Chairman Jonathan Mock. “They have plays, they have all types of defenses, and they have practices during the week.” On game day, the coaches of the teams are at the tournament and coach their respective teams through each match. See Powderpuff on page 4
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