Published: November 07, 2009 11:41 am      

Edwards issues statement on health care bill

Says he'll vote 'no'

(Washington, D.C.) –U.S. Representative Chet Edwards today announced he will vote against HR 3962, the House version of health care reform legislation, and released the following statement:

“After listening to thousands of my constituents and carefully reviewing the legislation, I have made a decision to vote “no” on the House health care reform bill.

Given the huge federal deficits facing our nation, I believe there is too much new spending in this bill.

I am especially disappointed that the bill does not have a fiscal trigger in it to cut spending if actual costs of new programs turn out to be higher than projected.

While the Congressional Budget Office predicts this bill is paid for over 10 years, there is no mechanism in the bill to force spending cuts if those complicated projections turn out to be wrong.

I also have concerns about a government-run “public option” insurance company and question whether this bill goes far enough in actually reducing health care costs for working families and businesses.

Throughout this debate I have heard two extremes. Some on the far left would like to see the federal government run a socialized health care system. Some on the far right would get the government completely out of health care, which would mean the elimination of Medicare and Medicaid. I think both extremes are wrong.

I believe most people in our district recognize that health care reform is needed to hold down costs and to make health care more affordable and dependable, but they want any reform bill to be fiscally responsible. I agree.”