Feingold touts health care, stimulus votes at AFL-CIO event

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Green Bay - Speaking in front of state AFL-CIO unionists meeting at their state convention, U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) defended his votes for extending unemployment compensation, approving the health care and economic stimulus bills, and opposing trade agreements.

Feingold told union members that he supported health care and the economic stimulus because state residents had been demanding them for decades.

The AFL-CIO has endorsed Feingold in his re-election fight against Republican challenger Ron Johnson and is ramping up efforts to get out the vote.

In his remarks, Feingold said Johnson had opposed extending unemployment benefits.

"What an obnoxious, insulting thing to say to working people of this state," Feingold said.

Feingold said his vote in favor of the health care bill allowed more affordable health insurance for the 541,000 people in Wisconsin who are uninsured and the 320,000 who have purchased individual health insurance.

Johnson has made the health care law the centerpiece of his campaign, saying he would work to repeal the bill if he is elected.

On trade legislation, Feingold said he opposed the North American Free Trade Agreement and other trade pacts in recent years. Those agreements, he said, cost Wisconsin anywhere from 75,000 to 150,000 jobs.

"Wisconsin workers deserve to compete on a level playing field," Feingold said. "You're looking at the senator who listened to you and opposed NAFTA," he said.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/103887394.html