Contact: Stephanie Valle 202-225-2931

Washington, Oct 13 - Congressman Phil Gingrey (R-GA) released the following statement after the Senate Finance Committee voted to report a democratic health care reform bill out of the committee:

“Today’s vote is yet another unfortunate chapter in the Democrat’s attempt to force the wrong health care reform through the Congress.  We currently have three Democratic bills under consideration.  Surveyed together, our options are frightening.  H.R. 3200 adds $239 billion to the deficit, opens the door for illegal aliens to get benefits, and could move up to 100 million Americans off of their current health care plan onto a government-run option.  The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee bill forces a government takeover of our nation’s health care system and allows the government to sell products that all Americans must buy.  The Senate Finance Committee bill cuts over $400 billion from the health benefits of seniors, increases average insurance premiums for American families by $4000, and still leaves 25 million Americans uninsured, even with its $1.8 trillion expenditure.

“As bad as these bills are, what they will become once Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and their liberal allies in the House and Senate take them behind closed doors to craft a final product will be much worse.  They will be the ones determining whether there is a public option, who gets coverage, how much money will be cut from Medicare, how much they add to our deficit, and how much more American families must pay to see a medical provider.

“Personally, the last people I want deciding my family’s health care future are Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.”