Rep. Michael Burgess on Saturday urged his congressional colleagues to ignore their party leadership, listen to constituents and draft a meaningful bipartisan health-care reform plan.

Burgess pledged that he would not support President Barack Obama's plan, but he agreed that health-care reform is needed.

"Will we be able to ignore our leadership and work out something that will work? I think we can," the Lewisville Republican told an estimated 1,500 people at a town hall meeting in Denton.

He also urged people to continue voicing their concerns to their representatives and praised the attendance at events like Saturday's. Attendance at similar town hall meetings around the country has been high as well, he said.

"Don't let up on this," he said. "In May, I didn't think we would be able to stop this."

Burgess, who has openly criticized the America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 in recent weeks, reiterated an offer he made last month to sit down with Obama and discuss their differences line by line.

Organizers staged the event in the parking lot outside Denton's Center for the Visual Arts, where hundreds stood to hear the congressman serving his fourth term. People filled 400 chairs, and an estimated 200 people stood inside in the air conditioning and listened to the meeting over speakers.

After a few minutes of remarks at the beginning, Burgess accepted questions from the audience.

During the meeting, Burgess criticized "vague language" in the bill relating to "end-of-life orders," an issue he said was too important to not spell out clearly. He also expressed his opposition to tax money being used to pay for abortions.

Some praised Burgess for his work and voiced their opposition to the health-care bill; others supported the measure.

Sondra Ferstl, president of the League of Women Voters of Denton, urged Burgess to change his mind and support Obama's health-care plan. "Medicare coverage is not enough," she said.

Some expressed their disappointment that Republicans did not come up with a plan to reform health care when they controlled both the House and Senate, and Burgess listed several ways he had tried.

He discussed insurance pools and medical co-ops as possible ways to help the uninsured afford health care.

"The ability for people outside an employment plan to pool together and get a better deal is something I support," Burgess said.


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