Baucus makes Libby appearance

Recalling a meeting with locals at Gayla Benefield’s home a decade ago, Sen. Max Baucus said he began a mission to “bring justice back to Libby.”

Asbestos exposure, the W.R. Grace & Co., mine and its impact on the community were topics of conversation. Among those he met was the late Les Skramstad, who has served as an inspiration for Baucus to stay focused on helping asbestos victims.

Following a health-care bill victory that includes benefits for asbestos victims and in an effort to help a local clinic kick off its needed expansion project, Baucus visited Libby on Wednesday and was all smiles.

“It means a lot to me and I’m sure it means a lot to the folks here,” Baucus said. “I’m just the hired gun … I’m working for the folks in Libby.”

The so-called Libby provisions in the health-care bill drew a certain amount of criticism from around the country. But as Baucus pointed out, it was only right that Libby victims receive the best care following last year’s federal public health emergency designation – the only one in American history.

“That has triggered over $300 million over the next 10 years,” Baucus said. “This is going to be bigger and better than the aid that was given to victims of 9/11.”

Dr. Brad Black told Baucus and the scores of people in attendance that the senator “is doing the right thing to restore health to the community” and that his efforts have “allowed us to have a voice for a very small community in a big process.”

“You don’t know how hard it was to keep that in the statute,” Baucus said in reference to the Libby provisions, adding, “I can’t name names” but there were those who were trying hard to de-rail the plan.

Baucus was speaking outside the Center for Asbestos Related Disease, which held a groundbreaking ceremony for an expansion project. The senator and other dignataries plunged their shovels into the wet ground to get the work under way.

Mike Giesey, president of CARD’s Board of Directors, said the clinic will be renovated and expanded significantly to allow “more research and to take better care of the folks coming to see us for specialty care. It also gives the staff more breathing room.”