Rep. Michele Bachmann was the only member of the Minnesota delegation to vote against legislation requiring health-insurance companies to treat mental illnesses the same as physical ailments. The Sen. Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act passed the House yesterday by a 376-47 margin. The legislation has long been championed by retiring Republican Rep. Jim Ramstad. It is expected to be taken up by the Senate soon and President Bush has promised to sign the measure.

Elwyn Tinklenberg, who is challenging Bachmann in the Sixth Congressional District, released a statement criticizing the freshman legislator’s opposition to the bill. “Bachmann’s vote is a moral failure to look out for some of our most vulnerable citizens,” Tinklenberg said. “It is this kind of extremism that is preventing real healthcare reform in our country. We need to start prioritizing people’s health and wellness over the profits of the insurance companies.”