Burgess Statement On Health Care Reform Summit
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February 25, 2010
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Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-Texas), Chairman of the Congressional Health Care Caucus, released the following statement on today’s health care summit at the Blair House:
“The summit was truly a 6-hour photo-op, and whether there will be meaningful action is yet to be seen.
“The truth is, Democrats already know the Republican ideas on health care reform, and Republicans already know what the Democratic Leadership and President Obama would like to see done. And on many of these issues, the two sides strongly disagree. But for the past few months Americans have made it clear that there is no popular support for a proposal that is anything like the Senate bill, House bill, or the President’s new proposal. If there was, these bills would have been signed into law months ago.
“There has been talk that at the conclusion of the summit, President Obama and Democratic Leadership will huddle to discuss the way to move forward on their health care reform proposals – if this is true, today’s summit was a wasted opportunity.
“Instead, we should start over with smaller, but effective, step-by-step reforms that the American people trust and understand – and that have broad bipartisan support. Starting over doesn’t have to mean that no bill passes, that there will be another year-long debate, or that Americans will have to wait decades longer for meaningful reforms. We could pass a bill on pre-existing conditions tomorrow that would make a big impact for millions of Americans, and there are other smaller bills that we could pass that would do the same.
“I hope this is what Congress does, and I stand ready to work on meaningful health care reform.”
Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D., is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and a member of the Health and Energy & Environment subcommittees. He is also a member of the bipartisan, bicameral Joint Economic Committee. Prior to becoming a member of Congress in 2002, Congressman Burgess practiced medicine in North Texas for over 25 years.
