Congressional black caucus to promote plans to expand health coverage

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Wednesday during the group's annual legislative conference announced plans to promote expanding health care coverage and boosting the minimum wage in the 110th Congress, moves that CBC Chair Rep. Mel Watt (D-N.C.) said would contribute to the "alleviation of poverty" in the U.S., CongressDaily reports.

Watt said the 43 members of the caucus - all Democrats - would pursue these goals regardless of which party gains control this November.

Other caucus members said their goals would be more attainable if Democrats took control of the House, according to CongressDaily (Hess, CongressDaily, 9/7)

NPR's "News & Notes with Ed Gordon" on Wednesday included an interview with Reps. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-Mich.) and Mel Watt (D-N.C.) about issues - including health care - discussed at the conference (Gordon, "News & Notes with Ed Gordon," NPR, 9/6).

The complete segment is available online in RealPlayer.