House Republicans Uneasy With Direction Of Health Care Reform

By Annie Berman-Talk Radio News Service

During a hearing with the House Ways and Means Committee Wednesday, House Republicans expressed major qualms over how the formation of the upcoming health reform legislation has progressed.

"I'm very concerned and I think what many of us are struggling with today is that we don't have the facts on this bill,” said Rep. Geoff Davis (R-Ky.) “We have been told that this will likely be our only hearing and we are talking about entirely changing the framework of healthcare in America with no debate of any substance.”

Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), the Committee’s ranking member, stated that in order for Congress to act responsibly, the members would need to know more vital facts concerning the bill.

“We need to know the price tag of this bill if we are going to do our jobs: write a bill our country can afford that will guarantee every American has access to affordable, quality health care.”

Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) blasted the new health care plan for resembling the current Medicaid program, stating that he believes that most people on Medicaid are unhappy with the program.

“I have a lot of citizens in my district who are on Medicaid, and for the life of me, I can't understand why we would want to make more people eligible for Medicaid...I don't have anyone that I know of that likes being on Medicaid." Nunes said.

The House Ways and Means Committee is expected to remain in session past 5:30 Wednesday evening. Witnesses representing insurance companies are slated to testify at the hearing’s end.

Republicans defend Congress from 'liberal coastal elites'

Rep. Geoff Davis (R-Ky.) and his fellow House Republicans held a press conference today to, according to the congressman, "defend the Congress from liberal coastal elites" that he says are responsible for the suffering of American people today, resulting from high energy prices. Davis and others continue delivering speeches on the House floor calling for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to bring Congress into an emergency session to pass energy legislation.

Davis went on to say that the views of the Speaker do not represent the views of our nation as a whole, and she should not continue to put energy reform on the back burner. Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) said that the one thing Pelosi has been unwilling to do is pass legislation that would bring immediate relief to the American people--drilling for oil in coastal and protected regions.

Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.) said that in his home district, many Americans have told him they will vote Republican in this upcoming election, some of these constituents being lifelong Democrats. Shimkus went on to say these partisan switches can be contributed to several reasons, in particular because they feel the Democratic Party has not, and continues to not do enough to help the American people.