New Third-Party Ad Rewrites Dole's History, Ignores Kay's Reality

August 28, 2008

GREENSBORO, NC - The United States Chamber of Commerce yesterday began sponsoring a television ad on behalf of Elizabeth Dole, after recent public polling has show Kay leading or tied. The Chamber of Commerce, a third-party group in this race, inflated Dole’s poor record on health care issues - ignoring the fact that it was Kay who had to stand up for working families while Elizabeth Dole voted with President Bush 92% of the time.

“As opposed to Kay, who is consistently ranked as one of the most effective state senators, Elizabeth Dole is ranked at the bottom of the barrel in terms of effectiveness – 93 out of all her colleagues in the U.S. Senate. Furthermore, trying to paint Dole as a “voice for family health care” and someone who fights to make North Carolina a healthier place flies in the face of her actual record, which is littered with votes against children’s health care, Medicare and Medicaid, and is a feeble attempt to rewrite history. The only voice Elizabeth Dole has is one that’s uniquely in-tune with the special interests and the lobbyists she actually represents.”

Ranked among the highest recipients of money from the pharmaceutical industry – nearly $300,000 – Elizabeth Dole voted against funding for Medicare and/or Medicaid 11 times, to the tune of nearly $132 billion, and voted against extending the enrollment deadline for the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit twice. Four times Elizabeth Dole has voted against allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, and just last year Elizabeth Dole voted against the extension and expansion of the SCHIP program six times.

According to North Carolina’s own Chamber of Commerce, “North Carolina is a great state. And, the state of business in North Carolina essentially is very strong.” The North Carolina Chamber specifically highlighted North Carolina’s achievements in “education, certain tax policies…that make the state a favorable place to do business, and a place to live well while doing so.”

Kay chaired the budget committee in the North Carolina General Assembly for five years, producing as many balanced budgets while investing in the right priorities to help move North Carolina forward and result in its ranking as the best state to do business in by Site Selection magazine. In addition, Kay has been praised as “high-profile player” in the Senate’s budget negotiations, and opposed both the House Democrats and Governor Mike Easley when she insisted that the temporary income and sales taxes expire in the 2007 budget.

Specifically with regards to health care, Kay chaired the 2006 budget that included a tax credit for small businesses that provide health care coverage and ensured that the state provided funds to expand the children’s health insurance program when Elizabeth Dole sided with President Bush and voted against the SCHIP program. Kay has also been praised by several newspapers which endorsed her for her pro-business record and her wealth of knowledge regarding the budgeting process.

In 2005, J. David Jameson, president of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce said of Kay, "Every delegation does not have that spark plug. You know it when you have it, and you're glad when you've got it."

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AD	FACTS
Narrator: The cost of health care is staggering On Screen: Split screen of doctors with surgical masks Written: The cost of health care is staggering
ELIZABETH DOLE HAS NOT HELPED MAKE HEALTH CARE MORE AFFORDABLE Dole Voted Against Funding For Medicare And Medicaid 11 Times, Amounting To Nearly $132 Billion. In the U.S. Senate, Elizabeth Dole has voted against Medicaid or Medicare funding at least 11 times, for a total of at least $131.8 billion. [Vote 62, 3/16/06; Vote 363, 12/21/05; Boston Globe, 12/22/05; Vote 303, 11/3/05; Vote 114, 4/28/05; Vote 58, 3/17/05; Vote 39, 3/10/04; Vote 253, 6/26/03; Vote 158, 5/15/03; Vote 89, 3/25/03; Vote 21, 1/23/03; Vote 7, 1/7/03]
Narrator: We need a plan to help On Screen: Picture of senior citizen and young girl, Father with 2 young children fishing by a lake Written: We need a plan to help	DOLE HAS OPPOSED PLANS TO HELP MAKE HEALTH CARE MORE AFFORDABLE 2007: Dole Voted Six Times Against A Plan To Help Extend And Expand Children’s Health Care. In 2007, Dole voted against bi-partisan legislation 6 times to extend SCHIP funding and expand it by $35 billion over five years. The bill contained funding to provide coverage for an additional 3.2 million kids while including $100 million in funding to improve participation in the program. To offset the expansion, the legislation would have increased the tax on cigarettes by 61 cents to $1 per pack and raised taxes on other tobacco products. The bill would have provided coverage to pregnant women and dental coverage to children enrolled in the program. States would have to meet new requirements before being allowed to expand eligibility beyond 300 percent of poverty. [Vote 403, 11/1/07; Vote 402, 11/1/07; Vote 401, 10/31/07; Vote 353, 9/27/07; Vote 352, 9/27/07; Vote 307, 8/2/07; Financial Times.com, 8/2/07; DPC, 7/31/07] Instead Of Proposing Alternative Plan, Dole Called On Congress To “Come Back With An Acceptable Bill.” After voting against expanding and extending SCHIP twice, Dole said, “I hope Congress can go back to the drawing boards and come back with an acceptable bill.” In April 2008, nearly nine months after first voting against the bipartisan SCHIP expansion package, Dole finally proposed a measure that would have provided an alternate means for funding the SCHIP program. [Vote 307, 8/2/07; Associated Press, 4/27/08; Dole Press Release, 4/30/08; Vote 352, 9/27/07; Vote 307, 8/2/07; Raleigh News and Observer, 9/28/07]
Narrator: Senator Elizabeth Dole is a voice for family health care On Screen: Group of adults with African-American woman facing a young child Written: Elizabeth Dole a voice for family health care	DOLE IS A VOICE FOR THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY Dole Has Accepted $283,982 From The Pharmaceutical Industry. Since Dole first started running for Senate in 2001, Dole has accepted at least $283,982 from the pharmaceutical industry. [Center for Responsive Politics, 8/21/08] Dole Is One Of The Pharmaceutical Industries Top 20 Senators. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Dole is ranked twentieth among all U.S. Senators for the amount of money that she has taken from the pharmaceutical industry since she first started running for Senate in 2001. [Center for Responsive Politics, 8/21/08] Dole’s Leadership PAC Has Taken $30,000 From The Pharmaceutical Industry. Since 2003, Dole’s leadership PAC has accepted at least $30,000 from PAC’s associated with the pharmaceutical industry. [Center for Responsive Politics, 7/29/08] Dole Allowed NRSC To Accept $805,362 From Pharmaceutical Industry. As head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 2006 election cycle, Dole allowed the NRSC to accept $805,362 from the pharmaceutical industry. [Center for Responsive Politics, 7/28/08]
Narrator: She cosponsored a bill to give tax credits to help families pay for health insurance On Screen: 2 nurses and a doctor, young child eating watermelon, mother with young daughter Written: Tax Credits for health insurance	HAGAN VOTED TO HELP BUSINESSES PROVIDE HEALTH INSURANCE Hagan Voted For A Tax Credit For Small Businesses That Provide Health Care Coverage. According to the Charlotte Observer, “The state budget approved this week included a $250 per employee tax credit for small businesses that provide health care coverage.” For the 2006-07 fiscal year, this amounted to a $7.2 million tax cut. [Charlotte Observer, 7/8/06]
Narrator: Dole voted to make sure our seniors have better health care On Screen: Old couple riding bikes, Old couple wearing bike helmets, African American senior citizen, African American senior citizen exercising Written: Seniors better health care	DOLE OPPOSED EFFORTS TO HELP SENIORS Dole Voted Against Allowing Medicare To Negotiate For Lower Drug Prices Four Times. In the U.S. Senate, Dole has voted against allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices four times since 2005. [Vote 132, 4/18/07; Vote 50, 3/15/06; Vote 302, 11/3/05; Vote 60, 3/17/05] Dole Voted To Kill Amendment That Would Have Required Part-D Enrollees To Be Made Aware Of Doughnut Hole. In November 2005, Dole voted to kill an amendment to the Budget Reconciliation bill that would have required enrollees in the Medicare Part D to be made aware of possible coverage gaps. The amendment would have required enrollees to sign a statement before enrolling that stated they were aware of the potential gap in coverage created by the “doughnut hole” in between levels of coverage, causing many enrollees to shoulder the full burden of the prescription drug costs. [Vote 297, 11/3/05] Dole Voted Twice Against Extending The Enrollment Deadline For The Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit. Elizabeth Dole voted twice against extending the enrollment period for the Medicare Part D prescription plan in the U.S. Senate. [Vote 5, 2/2/06; Vote 342, 11/17/05]
Narrator: Call Elizabeth Dole. Tell her to keep fighting to make North Carolina a healthier place On Screen: Elizabeth Dole standing at podium with an American flag and a North Carolina flag in background Written: Call Senator Elizabeth Dole 202.224.6342	HAGAN MADE NORTH CAROLINA A HEALTHIER PLACE Hagan Pushed To Expand Coverage For More Than One Million North Carolinians. In 2006, Hagan cosponsored a budget bill which “required the Department of Health and Human Services to submit a report to the General Assembly outlining a plan to expand health care access for over 1.3 million uninsured North Carolinians.” In 2005, Hagan voted to provide more health care options to teachers, state employees and dependents covered by North Carolina’s medical insurance plan. [NC Department of Health and Human Services, Report to the 2007 General Assembly, 4/26/07; SB 1741, Vote 1357, 7/6/06; Raleigh News & Observer, 12/6/05, SB 751, Vote 403, 6/1/05, passed 50-0]
Narrator: The US Chamber of Commerce is responsible for the content of this advertising On Screen: Husband and wife standing in living room, Husband and wife holding dancing in living room Written: Fighting to make North Carolina a healthier place USChamber.com Paid for by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is responsible for the content of this advertising.	HAGAN HAS A LONG RECORD OF SUPPORT FOR BUSINESS Hagan Was Endorsed By Several Papers For Her “Pro-Business” Record. During the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, Hagan was endorsed by several newspapers, which cited her record on business. The Winston-Salem Journal wrote, “Hagan has good experience in the General Assembly, where she has been instrumental in forming the state budget and in crafting a pro-business agenda,” and the Southern Pines Pilot echoed, “Hagan, a respected businesswoman and state senator from Greensboro, has a wealth of experience in the General Assembly, where she has played an important role in drawing up the state budget and in crafting a pro-business agenda.” The Greensboro News & Record called her “a moderate Democrat who supports business and economic development,” and the Wilmington Star News claimed, “Her legislative record paints her as more conservative on business issues.” [Winston-Salem Journal Editorial, 4/16/08; Southern Pines Pilot Editorial, 4/25/08; Greensboro News & Record Editorial, 4/27/08; Wilmington Star News Editorial, 5/2/08] North Carolina Repeatedly Ranked As One Of The Best States For Business. Site Selection Magazine named North Carolina as the state with the top business climate in 2007. Additionally, Forbes.com ranked North Carolina third in the country for its positive business climate in both 2006 and 2007. Site Selection said, “Among North Carolina’s strengths cited by numerous corporate executives were its pro-business policies in the areas of tort and taxation, a vibrant existing talent base backed by workforce development capabilities, affordable land, and private- and public-sector leadership.” Forbes.com praised North Carolina’s low labor costs and fast income growth. [Forbes.com, 7/11/07; Conway Data press release, 11/1/07]

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