Congressional Republicans appear to be 100 percent unified against the Democratic plan to reform health care. What's in the bill the Republicans oppose? We'll ask our guest, a physician, GOP Rep. Michael Burgess of District 26. Today's Rant looks at what the health care bill would likely mean in Texas And has the battle over health care killed any chances for Republicans and Democrats to find common ground on other issues? Is bipartisanship in Washington dead? That's today's Flashpoint. Jim Doug... Read more

House lawmakers passed the Senate version of long-awaited health care reform on Sunday night. And Texas leaders were quick to fire off on it. —On Facebook, Attorney General Greg Abbott was already declaring war on the health care bill. He said he had just left a conference call with officials from more than a dozen states: "Just got off the AG conference call," he wrote. "We agreed that a multi-state lawsuit would send the strongest signal." Later, he released a statement: "To protect all Texans... Read more

HOUSE If Republicans take over the House in January, John Boehner of Ohio would become the 61st speaker. His leadership team would likely include Eric Cantor of Virginia as majority leader, Mike Pence of Indiana as majority whip, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington as GOP Conference chairwoman. Here are some other pivotal players: Key Chairmen In line to chair the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Darrell Issa of California insists that his chief goal would not be to hold lots of "... Read more

Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-Texas), Chairman of the Congressional Health Care Caucus, took to the House floor to read letters he has received from Texas state officials, medical associations and a growing list of other constituencies who oppose the Democrats' health reform bill. Burgess read letters from Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, Texas Governor Rick Perry, Texas Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Joe Straus, Texas State Senator Tommy Williams, the Texas Medical Association, and also read a list of medical associations representing over 500,000 physicians, all express strong opposition to the Democrats' health reform bill and urging Members to vote "NO." Read more

During a 1-minute speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, Congressman Michael Burgess read a letter he received from a Texas State Senator, Tommy Williams, who wrote asking Burgess to oppose President Obama's health care reform proposal, and listing why the bill would be bad for Texans, calling the bill "devastating." Read more

Late Monday night, the House Energy and Commerce Committee received two very brief letters from the chief counsels at the White House and Department of Health and Human Services in response to the committee’s February letter requesting more information on the negotiations or agreements reached last May at a health reform meeting at the White House. The bipartisan committee letter was sent on February 17, 2010, and signed by Chairman Henry Waxman (D-California), Ranking Member Joe Barton (R-Texas), and Congressman Michael Burgess, M.D. (R-Texas), ranking member of the Oversight and Investigations subcommittee. Read more

Rep. Burgess delivered a special order and discussed the right way forward on health care reform. To view a video of the speech, click here. Mr. BURGESS. The last hour just ended, and you heard the admonition at the end of the hour that it is extremely important for people to pay attention. And during this hour, I am going to echo that thought. It is important for people to pay attention, Mr. Speaker, and, yes, I will direct my remarks to the Chair. But, Mr. Speaker, if I could talk to the Ameri... Read more

Reps. Burgess, Shadegg and Gohmert took to the House Floor for a Special Order and outlined the many problems with the Senate health care reform bill. Read more

Rep. Michael Burgess couldn't believe his ears. He'd just been read President Obama's words in Strongville, Ohio, yesterday. At a campaign-style rally, the president had said that "We’ve ended up with a proposal that incorporates the best ideas from Democrats and Republicans." Burgess's reaction? "If I was Joe Wilson, I could do it in two words," he told me. Burgess, a soft-spoken doctor, has worked on health care issues extensively in the seven years since he replaced former Republican majority... Read more

Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-Texas), Chairman of the Congressional Health Care Caucus, released the following statement reacting to President Obama's speech today on health care reform: "Unfortunately, President Obama seems determined to force through Congress in the next few weeks his idea of health care reform, disregarding the wants and needs of the American people who are telling him to slow down and start over. Republicans and the majority of Americans saying ‘let’s start over’ aren’t asking for another year of debate. Read more