Constituents, not party first for Kirk

While, for the most part, the United States has the best health care in the world, some of our fellow citizens unfortunately fall through the cracks. For far too many people, disaster is just one illness away. Action must be taken to help those unfortunates while still maintaining our otherwise-excellent healthcare system.

My Congressman, Mark Kirk, is leading the way to make that goal a reality. In 2007 he broke with the majority of his party to vote to override President Bush's veto of the SCHIP bill, which ensures that needy children around the country have access to basic healthcare regardless of their parents' wealth. Last week he joined with Democratic Congressman Dan Lipinski to allow people to keep their health insurance when they leave their employer. Currently the limit is 18-36 months. Under Kirk's bill the time limit would be removed completely.

Mike Maione

Highland Park