Enzi Statement on President's Letter to Congressional Leaders Following Health Care Summit

Washington, D.C.  –  U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement in response to the President’s Letter To Congressional Leaders On Health Insurance Reform:

“The President’s bill is polarizing because it was put together by the Democrats and handed to us as the final and only answer.  We are still seeing some window dressing to convince America that the majority is right.  America didn’t buy it.  They read the big print (and the little print) whenever the bills were finally printed.

“I’m disappointed that the President wants to keep the enormous challenge of reforming health care trapped in a bill that won’t work and isn’t winning the approval of the American people. Thursday’s health care summit confirmed that we can find common ground on important aspects like small business health care plans, health savings accounts, medical justice and Medicare waste and fraud.  I would also like to talk more and in greater depth about concentrating on a bill that solves the Medicare problem so money from Medicare only goes to help pay for Medicare.

“We can and should act quickly on those items upon which we can agree, rather than holding these bipartisan solutions hostage to efforts to move a bill that an ever growing number of Americans oppose. Continuing to insist that Republicans swallow a bloated, overreaching bill that costs way too much, raises taxes and cuts Medicare benefits for those who need them the most, isn’t a fair trade for adding a few Republican themes to an old bill.”

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