Thompson Joins Effort to Bring Health Care Negotiations Into the Open
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Representative Glenn `GT’ Thompson, R-Howard, today supported an effort led by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Florida, to require public access to health care negotiations.
“More and more deals are being made to get this albatross of a health care bill through the melding of the House and Senate versions into one bill,” said Thompson. “President Obama campaigned on a promise to “open the negotiations to C-SPAN,” but that has not happened.”
Today Buchanan announced he is filing a discharge petition on the “Sunshine Resolution,” which would require public access to negotiations on the Democrats’ health care takeover. Thompson, a long-time sponsor of Buchanan’s bill, today signed on to the discharge petition. The procedure under House rules reads that Buchanan must have 218 signatures, a majority of the House to make the Democrats do what they promised and open the negotiations for Americans to see. Currently he has 151 bipartisan cosponsors of the resolution.
“The American people are showing in poll after poll that they disapprove of the health care bill in its present form, and disapprove of how the negotiations have gone forward. If this is a bill that deserves to be passed, then it should hold up to public scrutiny,” said Thompson.
Republican ideas, including amendments offered by Thompson earlier in the debate, repeatedly have been rejected. “I will continue to stand by my constituents in support of an open legislative process and a common-sense set of health care reforms that will lower costs, improve patient access and most of all, further patient choice,” Thompson concluded.
“More and more deals are being made to get this albatross of a health care bill through the melding of the House and Senate versions into one bill,” said Thompson. “President Obama campaigned on a promise to “open the negotiations to C-SPAN,” but that has not happened.”
Today Buchanan announced he is filing a discharge petition on the “Sunshine Resolution,” which would require public access to negotiations on the Democrats’ health care takeover. Thompson, a long-time sponsor of Buchanan’s bill, today signed on to the discharge petition. The procedure under House rules reads that Buchanan must have 218 signatures, a majority of the House to make the Democrats do what they promised and open the negotiations for Americans to see. Currently he has 151 bipartisan cosponsors of the resolution.
“The American people are showing in poll after poll that they disapprove of the health care bill in its present form, and disapprove of how the negotiations have gone forward. If this is a bill that deserves to be passed, then it should hold up to public scrutiny,” said Thompson.
Republican ideas, including amendments offered by Thompson earlier in the debate, repeatedly have been rejected. “I will continue to stand by my constituents in support of an open legislative process and a common-sense set of health care reforms that will lower costs, improve patient access and most of all, further patient choice,” Thompson concluded.
.jpg)
Comments