Wednesday
Nov042009
Joe Wilson Announces Amendment To Force Congress To Use Public Option
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 11:28AM
By Ravi Bhatia, Talk Radio News Service
If the public option on health care is viable and sustainable for the American people, then members of Congress and the Senate should sacrifice their own federal health benefits and use it themselves, said Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) and other House Republicans Wednesday.
“If this government-run plan is so good, why don’t members of Congress take the plan?” asked Wilson, during a press conference promoting an amendment to the Affordable Health Care For All Americans Act requiring all members of the House and Senate subscribe to the public insurance option offered by the legislation.
While Wilson admittedly does not support the public option, the proposed amendment is being interpreted as a way to make a point to Wilson's Democratic colleagues.
“We know why the majority of the 'Pelosi takeover bill' does not provide this,” Wilson continued. “They do know that the government-run option will not be in the interest of the American people, either individually or for the American citizens at large. I’m just very hopeful that they’ll reconsider, that they will understand if it’s good enough for the American people, it’s good enough for Congress.”
Wilson added that the House is “shoving this bill through.”
Wilson went on to say that the House is “shoving this bill through.”
“Speaker Pelosi still has not informed us about what the amendment process will be for this bill,” Wilson said in a statement released Wednesday. “An issue as important as a health care overhaul that will impact every American is much too important through rush through without transparency or a democratic amendment process.”
Wilson garnered controversy when he shouted the phrase "you lie" during President Barack Obama's address to a joint session of Congress in September.
If the public option on health care is viable and sustainable for the American people, then members of Congress and the Senate should sacrifice their own federal health benefits and use it themselves, said Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) and other House Republicans Wednesday.
“If this government-run plan is so good, why don’t members of Congress take the plan?” asked Wilson, during a press conference promoting an amendment to the Affordable Health Care For All Americans Act requiring all members of the House and Senate subscribe to the public insurance option offered by the legislation.
While Wilson admittedly does not support the public option, the proposed amendment is being interpreted as a way to make a point to Wilson's Democratic colleagues.
“We know why the majority of the 'Pelosi takeover bill' does not provide this,” Wilson continued. “They do know that the government-run option will not be in the interest of the American people, either individually or for the American citizens at large. I’m just very hopeful that they’ll reconsider, that they will understand if it’s good enough for the American people, it’s good enough for Congress.”
Wilson added that the House is “shoving this bill through.”
Wilson went on to say that the House is “shoving this bill through.”
“Speaker Pelosi still has not informed us about what the amendment process will be for this bill,” Wilson said in a statement released Wednesday. “An issue as important as a health care overhaul that will impact every American is much too important through rush through without transparency or a democratic amendment process.”
Wilson garnered controversy when he shouted the phrase "you lie" during President Barack Obama's address to a joint session of Congress in September.
House Republicans Call For Stimulus Audit
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) and other House Republicans proposed an audit commission of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Wednesday, claiming that proper transparency of stimulus spending has not yet been provided.
“It’s time for Congress to demand answers on behalf of the hardworking taxpayers we represent,” Wilson said in a statement. “It is critical that American taxpayers receive adequate answers as to the whereabouts of stimulus funds.”
The bill calls for a 10 member bipartisan commission to be established, with a chairman appointed by President Barack Obama. The commission would investigate how jobs are being reported, the accuracy in the number of jobs being created and preserved and pursue future steps for job development.
“If you look at the number of jobs created by district and then look at the extraordinary cost, it is very revealing in itself,” Wilson said.
Reps. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), Mark Sounders (R-Ind.) and Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) are co-sponsoring the bill, at Wednesday's press conference, each cited cost-benefit discrepancies on the official stimulus website recovery.gov.
“The Obama administration’s website creates phony Congressional districts and fishy jobs numbers,” Kingston charged. “It’s time to pull back the curtain and get some transparency."