Enzi: Don’t Close the Door on Bipartisan Health Care Talks

Washington, D.C. – Following President Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress on health care reform this evening, U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., urged Democratic leaders not to put an early end to productive, bipartisan health care talks, which he said offer the best opportunity to achieve meaningful health care reform.

“We all want health care reform that will reduce costs, improve quality and expand access without breaking the bank. The bipartisan talks we’re having in the Finance Committee represent the best chance we have of achieving our shared goals, and I urge Democrat leaders not to close the door on these productive discussions,” Enzi said.

“To achieve bipartisan reform, we have to set aside the most contentious pieces like the government-run plan and focus on areas where we can reach agreement. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said the government-run plan won’t reduce costs, the proposal doesn’t have the votes to pass in the Senate, and the American people have made clear they don’t want it.

“I hope that the President and Democrats in Congress will drop the government-run plan and work with us to find meaningful ways to boost competition and reduce costs. It’s time to scrap the partisan bills that have already passed in Congressional committees and begin with a new, reasonable and consensus approach that the American people can believe in.”

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