Alabama, Florida Congressmen’s Statements On Health Care Bill

December 27, 2009

Senate Democrats passed the landmark health care bill on Christmas Eve that could mean almost-universal medical coverage to all Americans.

The 60-39 vote along party lines ended months of negotiations and 24 days of debate on the Senate floor. The “yes” votes were from 58 Democrats and two independents, while there was a unanimous “no” vote from Republicans.

Before universal health care can be signed into law by President Obama, the House and Senate must reach a compromise between different bills passed in each chamber. Once signed, the bill would provide health care coverage. to another 30 million Americans.

Congressman Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) issued the following statement on the Senate’s passage of their version of the Health Care Bill:

“I am deeply saddened that during this season of renewal, the Senate Democrats chose to ignore the will of the American people and pass a Trillion dollar government takeover of health care. This bill does nothing to reduce the cost of care for working American families, and it opens the door for federally funded abortions. The bill was passed on Christmas Eve with votes bought with backroom deals and election year boondoggles — all paid for by hard working families. The only thing new in this legislation is $518 Billion in new taxes.

The American people deserve better than this and I will work to prevent this legislation from becoming law. I will be holding a series of town hall meetings the first week of January to hear the many concerns of Northwest Floridians about this legislation and to enlist their help to defeat it.”

U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) issued the following statement regarding Senate passage of Democrats’ health care legislation by a party-line vote of 60-39:

“This legislation is an abomination in process and substance,” said Shelby. “Conceived behind closed doors and hastily rushed through the Senate in partisan fashion, it is nearly 3,000 pages of ‘reform’ the American people do not want or need, and have not been given time to examine.

“It dramatically increases the federal government’s role in our personal medical decision making. It contains weak and unacceptable protections for taxpayers who do not want their hard-earned money used to fund abortions. It raises taxes during a recession when one of every ten Americans is out of work. It drastically cuts Medicare for our seniors and, instead of applying these funds to make Medicare more solvent or reduce the federal deficit, it uses them to fund yet another new government entitlement. It requires Americans to purchase insurance and significantly penalizes those who do not. It raises the Medicaid burden on states when they cannot even afford the burden they already bear. In spite of what Democrat leaders tell us, it will also dramatically increase the federal deficit.

“Simply stated, this legislation will spend huge amounts of money that we do not have to empower the federal government to ration, and therefore decrease the quality of, our nation’s medical services. We had before us the opportunity to build upon the best health care system in the world. The Democrats’ legislation does the opposite. This is a day our nation will long regret.”

Comments

8 Responses to “Alabama, Florida Congressmen’s Statements On Health Care Bill”

  1. mike on March 13th, 2010 3:37 am

    Bleh, my guess is that you spend your days standing on a corner with a cup and a sign asking for a handout. Its not my responsibility to pay for your healthcare. If we want reform then we have to get the government out of healthcare, open the state borders and make it true free trade, get rid of the false malpractice suits and convict the ones who file them.

  2. James Welch on January 5th, 2010 11:21 am

    I am so upset about what Congress is doing that I forgot to say I agree with what both Jeff Miller and Richard Shelby had to say. They seem to be the only people who are an exception to the rule.

  3. James Welch on January 5th, 2010 11:16 am

    We have been betrayed by our Congress and our President. It’s time to get rid of both. Let’s make it our goal to make Obama a one-term president. Let’s make it our goal to vote out the tratorous Congress and put in all new members with a two-term limit. We need to go back to the original intent of the Constitution. No safety is worth giving up any Freedom for. Stand up for what America USED to stand for. All it takes for these poeple to rob us of our freedom completely, is for good men and women to do nothing. Stand up and fight for frreedom! Vote these worthless, rotten skunks out.

  4. alabama citizen on December 28th, 2009 2:02 am

    to Bleyh,

    i agree that health care needs reform, but not what is proposed, you mention that lots of people get sick, without insurance, but did you know that there is a provision in this bill that will require, not volunteer mind you, require that you purchase health insurance or face penalties, now how is this helping, seems to me that this is a contradiction, how are you gonna afford insurance if your not working. No, all this is Obama and his socialist friends trying to push something on us that a majority of Americans are opposed to.

  5. JH on December 27th, 2009 10:12 am

    To Bleh, did you know that there was more money lost to FRAUD in Medicare last year than there was profit by the insurance companies combined!!! Nobody mentions cleaning up the system, but wait it is the government and they run every program correctly. Social Security, Medicare, Postal Service.

    I dont think anyone was against Health Reform, it is just the way it was pushed through with no consideration for tort reform, limiting liablilty payments and proof of USA citizenship.

    TIME WILL TELL!!! Just like the above mentioned programs!!!!

  6. joe w on December 27th, 2009 9:38 am

    I think this medical bill is gona be the worst thing that ever happened to us the the ppl of usa Obama is gona ruin this country and try to turn this into a socialist country ill be glad when he is voted out

  7. Carl Emmons on December 27th, 2009 7:14 am

    Please wake up America. We need to vote out Everybody that voted for this Tax increase. We need less government not more. We have to make a stand or our Grandkids will be paying the price for this.

  8. bleh on December 27th, 2009 2:49 am

    I’m happy for the healthcare overhaul its past due, but I’m sad for the dropping of the public option, and medicare for 55 and up.

    Those 2 programs were both very needed, now I feel its just going to be us feeding they already scandalous insurance companies.

    The insurance companies are crooks, without the public option we are still forced to use insurance companies (no matter which one) without any government choice.

    Right now lots of people with no insurance get sick and go to the ER, rack up a $1,000 bill for something minor, and can’t pay it, the citizens get to pay it in the end.

    And thats not fair to tax paying citizens