Friday
Jul242009
House GOP’ers Risk Injury To Present Health Care Amendments
Friday, July 24, 2009 at 3:21PM
By Joseph Russell- Talk Radio News Service
Although none of them stretched beforehand, House Republicans lugged dozens of boxes filled with legislative health care amendments called the “Rx for a Healthy America,” around the Capitol on Friday.
"I'm gonna take a chance with my back here," Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said jokingly. "You can't offer your ideas if there's not a forum, a legislative forum, to offer your ideas. . . we've been right up to the edge of pounding on the door for six months."
Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) and others unveiled the GOP’s 12-point proposal for health care reform. Specifically, the plan focuses on health care affordability, availability, and accessibility. Barton asserted that the plan’s amendments will be offered as soon as “Democrats resume the stalled bill-writing session.”
The plan is designed to ensure that time is taken to produce reform that adheres to the desires of the American public, while at the same time solving the problems of the current health care system.
“It took the President six months to decide how long and which puppy he was gonna have,” said Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.). “To expect Congress to do something on major health care reform in six days is totally irresponsible.”
The “Rx for a Healthy America” plan ensures that Americans keep their current insurance, prohibits pre-existing condition clauses, and guarantees that health care will not become government operated. Moreover, the plan will ensure senior choice, transparency, and government health care for the President, Vice President, and members of Congress.
Barton said that the 17 boxes worth of amendments are more comprehensive than the Democrats' plan and achieve the goals set by President Obama. Barton added that unlike the President’s plan, the Republicans can prove their plan’s effectiveness.
Although none of them stretched beforehand, House Republicans lugged dozens of boxes filled with legislative health care amendments called the “Rx for a Healthy America,” around the Capitol on Friday.
"I'm gonna take a chance with my back here," Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said jokingly. "You can't offer your ideas if there's not a forum, a legislative forum, to offer your ideas. . . we've been right up to the edge of pounding on the door for six months."
Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) and others unveiled the GOP’s 12-point proposal for health care reform. Specifically, the plan focuses on health care affordability, availability, and accessibility. Barton asserted that the plan’s amendments will be offered as soon as “Democrats resume the stalled bill-writing session.”
The plan is designed to ensure that time is taken to produce reform that adheres to the desires of the American public, while at the same time solving the problems of the current health care system.
“It took the President six months to decide how long and which puppy he was gonna have,” said Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.). “To expect Congress to do something on major health care reform in six days is totally irresponsible.”
The “Rx for a Healthy America” plan ensures that Americans keep their current insurance, prohibits pre-existing condition clauses, and guarantees that health care will not become government operated. Moreover, the plan will ensure senior choice, transparency, and government health care for the President, Vice President, and members of Congress.
Barton said that the 17 boxes worth of amendments are more comprehensive than the Democrats' plan and achieve the goals set by President Obama. Barton added that unlike the President’s plan, the Republicans can prove their plan’s effectiveness.
House Republicans Say New Health Care Proposal Threatens Medicare Recipients
A number of House Republicans argued Wednesday that cutting medicare funding will put both the program and its recipients in danger.
Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said that the belief that the U.S. will be able to cut medicare funding without negative consequences is "the biggest fallacy in this new plan as we move forward."
Blunt said he was also concerned that the cuts would take money away from senior citizens who already have pre-paid into Medicare, a move Blunt says “will damage the system."
“It’s inappropriate to reduce the foundation of medicare in order to pay for a new government health plan,” Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) added.