Hartford, CT – The cost of the Iraq war to CT taxpayers is significantly greater than the funding needed to provide coverage to every uninsured child in CT, according to a USAction Education Fund report recently released by [USAction affiliate, Connecticut Citizen Action Group (CCAG)]. CT’s share of the $456 billion in Iraq war funding through 2007 – $11 billion – could provide health care to 4,399,425 uninsured children, 17 times more than the 71,123 uninsured children in CT.

This morning, dozens of Anti-War protesters and Health Care Advocates gathered outside a health care forum hosted by Senator Lieberman at the Legislative Office Building. The group called on Lieberman to invest in health care for children not on war. The group led by CT Opposes the War (COW) and the CT Citizen Action Group (CCAG) linked the rising cost of the war in Iraq and the relatively smaller investment of providing kids health care.

The CT cost of war data underscores the misplaced priorities of the Bush administration. President Bush is asking Congress for $50 billion in additional funding to continue his endless war in Iraq while threatening to veto $50 billion passed by the House to fully fund the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) for the next five years.

“CT is telling our Members of Congress and Senator Lieberman, “enough is enough” – it’s time to reverse the upside-down priorities that have squandered $11 billion of CT taxpayers’ money while neglecting over 70,000 uninsured children in CT, said John Murphy, Stirring Committee member of COW.

The White House has threatened to veto any funding over the president’s suggested levels, calling needed funding for children’s health care “excessive.” The president’s proposal, however, was woefully inadequate and wouldn’t even cover the children currently receiving health coverage through SCHIP. The need to expand SCHIP was underscored by recent census data that indicated 700,000 more children were uninsured in 2006 than in 2005.

CT Members of Congress have a simple choice: will they vote to spend even more of CT taxpayers money in Iraq while opposing funding to cover more than 70,000 children in CT? # # #

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Read the report: Getting US Back on Track... (pdf)

Listen: CCAG's Tom Swan and WTIC's Colin McEnroe discuss the Cost of War (mp3)

Connecticut's oldest and largest social justice group, the CT Citizen Action Group (CCAG), announced today it is endorsing Rep. Chris Caruso for Mayor of Bridgeport. CCAG has 30,000 member families statewide and it has been a leading voice fighting corruption in Connecticut.

"In politics one of the hardest things to do is to admit you're wrong," said Tom Swan, Executive Director of CCAG. "When we endorsed Chris Caruso"s opponent in the past we questioned Chris's ability to get things done, we were wrong. Caruso stood up to the corruption in the Rowland administration at a time when others were hesitant and proved he's a man of principle."

Swan continued, "Chris not only spoke out against corruption, he got things done. Without Chris's leadership Connecticut would not have passed nearly as strong of a package of post Rowland reforms, particularly the nation's strongest campaign finance reforms for state races."

Bridgeport resident and CCAG Board member Max Medina voted to have CCAG endorse Caruso. "I'm proud CCAG is once again standing up for real change in Bridgeport by endorsing Caruso's run for mayor."

The final straw for the CCAG Board was when Bill Finch sided with the energy interests over consumers and voted for an energy bill that will only drive up consumers' costs and that Representative Caruso valiantly opposed. Connecticut electric ratepayers are already paying the second highest rates in the country and Bill Finch's pork filled bill will only increase these costs.

"There was not a clearer consumer issue considered in the 2007 legislative session and Chris Caruso sided with consumers - Bill Finch sided with lobbyists," said Swan. "Bridgeport needs a mayor that will be on it's side and not on the side of lobbying interests, the energy vote makes it clear that Caruso is on our side and Sen. Finch is too cozy with special interests."

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-> WTNH.com: Watch dog group backing Caruso