From the Richmond Times Dispatch:
With five Democrats defecting, the Virginia Senate today passed a Republican measure that says Virginians don’t have to buy health insurance.
Voting 23-17, the Democratic-controlled Senate kicked to the House a bill by Sen. Frederick Quayle, R-Suffolk, that supporters say will send a message to Washington about its efforts to overhaul the health-care system.
The Quayle bill was the first of three nearly identical proposals by Republicans. The others are carried by Sens. Stephen Martin of Chesterfield and Jill Vogel of Fauquier. They passed by the same margin as the Quayle bill.
Quayle said the legislation is important, because it’s a way of telling Congress that Virginians believe the federal goverrnment is overstepping its authority.
The bill will now go to the House of Delegates where a Republican majority makes it very likley this will become law in 2010. This is a HUGE victory for the Tea Party. The fact that the legislation was able to pass a Democrat control senate is proof of how unpopular the federal health care legislation is in Virginia. This would not have happened if not for our grassroots lobbying efforts.
We will look to keep our momentum going in 2010. Join us at our Feb 4th business meeting and help us continue the battle to save our nation. More information here.
