Legislative Black Caucus sends delegation to Washington
Georgia lawmakers lobby Congress for PeachCare funding solution

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Six members of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus traveled to the nation’s capital Thursday to urge additional federal funding of the state’s health care program for children, PeachCare for Kids, and to discuss other major issues with Georgia’s congressional delegation and other top leaders on Capitol Hill.
 
State Rep. Al Williams (D-Midway), chair of the caucus, and fellow Reps. Lester Jackson (D-Savannah), Quincy Murphy (D-Augusta), Earnest "Coach" Williams (D-Avondale Estates), Randall Mangham (D-Decatur) and Lynmore James (D-Montezuma) comprised the delegation, along with caucus aide Courtney Ward.

Chairman Williams said the delegation wanted to stress to federal officials the urgency of filling the $131 million funding gap facing PeachCare, which serves 270,000 children of working families all over Georgia.

During the whirlwind trip to Washington, the group was able to meet with Georgia’s U.S. Senators, Saxby Chambliss (R-Moultrie) and Johnny Isakson (R-Marietta); U.S. Representatives from Georgia, Jack Kingston (R-Savannah), Sanford Bishop (D-Albany), Lynn Westmoreland (R-Newnan), Hank Johnson (D-Decatur), Jim Marshall (D-Macon), John Barrow (D-Savannah) and David Scott (D-Atlanta).

They also spoke with U.S. Senators Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), Rep. Charles Rangel (R-N.Y.) and top staff members for Senators Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) to make the case for PeachCare.

“It is our understanding that if the state has to use funds as a temporary stopgap, they will be repaid in full by the federal government when Congress passes the appropriation,” he continued. “After meeting with the Democratic leadership, we know there is a commitment from Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for complete support of the children’s health insurance program and to fully fund the $791 million federal portion to the 17 states involved.”

Per the request of Congressman Clyburn, the caucus will appoint a liaison between the GLBC and the Majority Whip’s office for ongoing dialogue on all issues, hopefully to help prevent situations like the PeachCare funding crisis in the future, Chairman Williams said.

“We were pleased to have, in only one day, met with such a strong bipartisan group of congressional leaders. PeachCare shouldn’t be a bargaining chip in a poker game between the state and federal government,” Chairman Williams said. “Hundreds of thousands of Georgians depend on programs such as PeachCare and others to help themselves and their families. We wanted to put a human face on these issues, and stress to our Georgia congressmen and other national leaders that these and other programs need to be fully funded.”