U.S. Rep.

Jason Altmire, R-4th, vowed to oppose any immigration bill that does not respect citizenship and meet American expectations of border security.Altmire made the announcement in response to Tuesday's Senate 69 to 23 vote to begin debate on an immigration bill that would give legal status to millions of illegal immigrants in the United States."I am disheartened that my colleagues in the Senate and President Bush have decided to move forward on a trajectory that will reward illegal immigrants with amnesty," he said.He called for "a redoubling of our commitment to the rule of law" to address what he characterized as the "immigration crisis."Altmire said while the Kennedy-Kyl immigration bill includes provisions to tighten border security and toughen workplace enforcement, the proposed plan would grant renewable, four-year visas to illegal immigrants in the United States prior to Jan. 1, 2007.The measure would give illegal immigrants the option of applying for green cards and create a new "merit based" point system when evaluating applicants for citizenship.The Senate immigration bill would also create a guest worker program to allow up to 400,000 unskilled workers to enter the country each year."While I support the inclusion of heightened border security measures, the strengthening of unlawful hiring protections and steps to reduce chain migration," Altmire said, "the Kennedy-Kyl bill goes too far and is an underhanded way of providing a path to citizenship and granting amnesty to illegal immigrants."@$: ———State Rep.

Jaret Gibbons, D-10th, voted for a bill that would ban Pennsylvania hospitals and health care facilities from forcing nurses and other health care workers to stay on the job beyond their regular shifts.The House of Representatives on Monday passed the bill, which was sent to the Senate.Gibbons said the measure would reduce the number of medical errors caused by sleep-deprived nurses, and improve safety for patients and health-care workers.He said, "In my opinion, it's a safety issue; no nurse should be forced to work beyond the point where they believe they can provide quality care to their patients."Gibbons said the bill would provide exceptions for nurses and other health care workers who provide direct patient care when they are needed in emergencies and when they are required to stay beyond their regular shift to complete a patient procedure.Nurses who wish to volunteer for overtime would not be prohibited from doing so by the legislation.———More Pennsylvania families are now eligible for the state's Children's Health Insurance Program, said state Rep.

Brian Ellis, R-11th, who is encouraging parents of uninsured children to apply for coverage.CHIP is designed to ensure children have access to medical care to protect their health and well-being.Last year, the General Assembly passed a law extending CHIP's low-cost and at-cost coverage to children who need it but whose families are not eligible for free CHIP or Medical Assistance.To qualify, children must be residents of Pennsylvania, citizens of the United States or permanent legal aliens and be younger than 19. The child may not be eligible for Medical Assistance or have any other type of health insurance.CHIP coverage remains free for low-income families. Other families may qualify for low-cost coverage, which carries an average premium of $38 to $60 per month, per child. Families with higher incomes who qualify for at-cost CHIP will pay about $150 per month, per child.For information about CHIP, call its toll-free hotline at 800-986-KIDS or visit Ellis' Web site at www.RepEllis.com.———The state Senate on Tuesday passed legislation that would provide oversight of proposed mergers involving nonprofit health insurance companies, and sent the amended bill back to the House for concurrence, according to Sen.

Don White, R-41st.The chairman of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee, White noted there have been significant changes in the bill since its passage by the state House of Representatives on April 2.He said the key component of the bill, which White introduced in March, is the requirement that any merger involving the "Blues" be subject to approval by the Department of Insurance."This regulatory oversight is essential for policyholders and to ensure competition within the health insurance marketplace," he said.While the Insurance Department would have the final say in any merger of nonprofit health insurance companies, the measure also establishes an Insurance Restructuring Public Interest Review Board to consider all proposals.The review board would have representatives from the auditor general's office, the administration, and the four caucuses of the General Assembly, as well as a policyholder to provide recommendations to the Department."This board will ensure that the public has an opportunity to comment on the merger and is empowered to retain an independent financial expert to review the union," White said."This analysis will consider the financial aspects of the merger and determine the total amount the nonprofit organizations are currently dedicating to the social mission."