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Health care reactions from the pols

The passage of health care legislation in the House Sunday night yielded the usual flurry of political pronouncements from elected officials and candidates.

Here is just a sampling of them.

Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper (D-3):

“Today is a great day for the American people and for the pro-life community. I am proud to support this whole-life legislation that preserves the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. This legislation will help pregnant women choose life by providing affordable care during their maternity and for their children before and after they are born. With the president’s executive order, we can rest assured that no federal funds will be used for abortions. The time is now for health care reform in America, and this legislation will provide the reform we need while maintaining the status quo of the Hyde Amendment. So much of the opposition to this legislation is based on fear. Insurance companies and special interest groups have used fear tactics and misinformation to scare people into believing this legislation will somehow ration care, raise their premiums or intrude on their privacy. Nothing could be further from the truth. As a nation, we cannot allow fear to prevent us from taking action. That’s not the American way. I’m telling my constituents right now—there is nothing to be afraid of in this legislation.”

Paul Huber, Republican candidate in the 3rd District:

“Congresswoman Dahlkemper’s support for the Obama-Pelosi health care takeover legislation is a travesty, yet it should come as no surprise that once again when voters in the Third District were counting on their Representative to stand up for them, Kathy Dahlkemper folded under pressure and sided instead with Nancy Pelosi and her liberal leaders in Congress.

Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6):

“This legislation written behind closed doors ushers in a new era of big government. At a time when American families, small business owners and senior citizens needed a partner in Washington, they got a lecture about how the federal government knows what’s best for them. Only in Washington could you pass legislation that calls for the American people to spend 10 years paying for six years of benefits and call it reform.”

Manan Trivedi, Democratic candidate in the 6th District:

“The bill that passed the House today is a good start, but I will work to make it better once I am in Congress. In my opinion, health care reform begins with this legislation, it does not end with this legislation. Going forward we need to do more to address rapidly rising health care costs by passing a robust, Medicare-like public option and investing more in comparative effectiveness research to better figure out what truly works and doesn’t work in health care.”

Doug Pike, Democratic candidate in the 6th District:

“This bill will lower costs for families and businesses, reduce deficits by over $1 trillion in the coming 2 decades, and extend health care coverage to tens of millions of Americans. On Friday, I urged Congressman Jim Gerlach to support this historic reform, but tonight he voted ‘No.’ … No bill is perfect—and this reform bill is no exception. When I am elected, I will continue this fight to make health care cheaper, higher quality, and more accessible for all Americans.”

Pat Meehan, Republican candidate in the 7th District:

“Democrats have rammed through the House of Representatives by the slimmest of margins legislation that raises taxes on the middle class and represents a government takeover of 17 percent of our nation’s economy. It is a bad bill that needed to be filled with corrupt backroom deals—paid for with our tax dollars—to secure a bare majority of support. Health care reform legislation should stand on its merits, something this bill did not.”

Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7):

“If we had followed the Republican plan of inaction, in 30 years health care costs would have swallowed up a third our economy, driven small companies out of business, and bankrupted untold numbers of American families. By taking on one of the biggest challenges facing our nation, we’re going to cut more than $130 billion from the deficit this decade, and another $1.2 trillion the next. And no longer will you have to pay for the uninsured out of your own pocket. This is a first, major step in tackling the deficit and creating a healthy country and a healthy economy.”

Tom Marino, Republican candidate in the 10th District:

“This government run health care plan will undoubtedly lead to a massive middle class tax hike and we know it will inflict serious damage to Medicare. The citizens of the 10th District deserve more than a bill full of kickbacks, job killing penalties and health care rationing. Congressman Carney’s vote is tantamount to political malpractice and now, more than ever, it’s time to change our Congressman.”

March 22, 2010 at 8:37 am

--pa2010.com Staff

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