Pallone calls for House hearing on measles vaccination following Christie remarks

[Omaha Steve]

Source: NJ.com

By Jonathan D. Salant

WASHINGTON — As Gov. Chris Christie clarified his remarks on vaccinations, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. called for congressional hearings into the spread of measles among children who have not been immunized.

Pallone (D-6th Dist.), the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, joined the ranking members of two of the panel's subcommittees, in asking the majority Republicans for a hearing "on the current measles outbreak and the importance of vaccinations to prevent the further spread of measles."

The Democratic lawmakers said measles had been eliminated in 2000 because of immunizations, and the resurgence of the childhood disease can be attributed to "several outbreaks in communities with groups of unvaccinated people." The current outbreak began at Disneyland in December and since has spread to at least eight states.

The Democrats' demand came after Christie, on a trade mission to London, said Monday that while his children were vaccinated, "parents need to have some measure of choice in things." He continued, "That's the balance that the government has to decide."

FULL story at link.



U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, right, and Rep. Anna Eshoo of California meet reporters after the New Jersey Democrat was elected ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee in November. (Jonathan D. Salant | NJ Advance Media) (Jonathan D. Salant)

Read more: http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/02/pallone_calls_for_house_hearing_on_measles_vaccina.html

[Autumn]

1. Nothing better to do with their time?

[rpannier]

3. This may be a PR ploy to get back at the repubs for their ebola nonsense

[rpannier]

2. Never happen. Not important or a big enough threat

I mean... it's not like we're talking Ebola which the Republicans flogged for months

[babylonsister]

10. It may not be, but

social media has taken notice. I've seen comments about polio being next.

This is a BFD in that people seem to be paying attention.

[rpannier]

11. You're probably correct

But, I think congress will find a way to spin this in to being the fault of the administration or the fault of liberals

[babylonsister]

12. The paste is out of the tube:

Christie and Paul made statements that were 'flatly untrue', per Howard Dean just now.

Deny that, rethugs!

[uhnope]

4. Americans already do have choice, Mr. Christie, but elected leaders need to present a united front

urging them to get the vaccinations

[jtuck004]

5. While you are at it, maybe you should have a hearing on the side effects of too many hearings. n/t

[Autumn]

6. That's a good use of their limited time. Or a hearing about Income inequality would be nice n/t

[jtuck004]

7. Lol. n/t

[Autumn]

8. I guess my hearing is going. These silly dog whistles just don't get my ass up and moving.

Seriously, a fucking congressional hearings into the spread of measles among children who have not been immunized ? How about a democrat calling for a hearing on the harm done to children by poverty and cuts to food stamps.

[jtuck004]

9. I would love it, if it led to anything. But the past few decades have convinced me that

virtually all of that is a waste of time. Especially now, given the excuse for a Congress we have.

What really needs to happen is the organizing and training of a few million people to be on the side of the worker, for a change, as opposed to the side of the politicians. Maybe what happened when Spokane tried to get rid of the First Amendment and IWW folks called for people to fill the jails. The ones that lived won.

Leaving this in the hands of politicians is perhaps the best way of making sure nothing really changes.

[SansACause]

13. Done with voting on climate change...

...congress now turns to voting on immunology.