Washington, DC – U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, issued the following statement today in support of an effort by House Republicans to force a vote on a resolution that would require an up-or-down vote on the Senate-passed health care bill:

“The American people know what’s going on in Washington. Whether it’s the back room deals for special interests or the flagrant abuse of the legislative process, the American people have had enough with the status-quo in Washington. Despite what some leading Democrats may say, the public is demanding a fair and open process. If the Democrat plan for a government takeover of health care is really in the best interests of the country, I challenge Speaker Pelosi to bring it out of the shadows immediately and allow an up or down vote on the bill.

“The American people have a right to watch their elected representatives cast their votes on an issue that will impact every American life. I am proud to join Rep. Parker Griffith (R-AL) and other House Republicans in forcing a fair, up or down vote on the Senate health care bill and I urge every Member of Congress to do the same.”

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Congressman Pence Discusses Health Care Reform with Monica Novotny on MSNBC

Monica: Congressman Mike Pence, Republican of Indiana joins us now.  He’s also the Republican Conference Chair.  Congressman, great to have you. At an Indianapolis tea party you said we’ve got to kill the bill, but Clyburn who we just spoke to a few moments ago, says he’ll get the votes and they can get this done by this weekend. Is it too late to kill it?

Rep. Pence: That’s a little bit outside of my jurisdiction. We’re in the minority, we’re kind of on the sidewalk looking through the department store window. I think the way the American people are rising up from my home state of Indiana and all across the country, who are rising up against the government takeover of health care, against these mandates, against these job-killing tax increases, and against the bill that would provide coverage for elective abortion for the first time in history. I think we have an opportunity to stop this bill. It’s not just about killing the bill, Monica, as I also said at that rally.  We ought to go to work immediately after they stop this bill on the kind of incremental step by step reforms that will focus on lowering cost of insurance rather than growing the size of government. Read the rest of this entry »

Washington , DC – U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, delivered the following remarks today on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in opposition to the Democrats’ government takeover of health care:

“The Democrat health care bill that’s being brought through the Congress this week is nothing more than a government takeover of health care, and the American people know it. I know the administration doesn’t like us to use that phrase, but come on.  When you mandate that every American purchase health insurance whether they want it or need it or not, you mandate that every business provide it, you create a massive government-run bureaucracy exchange that mandates what’s in insurance plans, you wrap that all in about $1 trillion worth of spending, that’s a government takeover of health care.

“But what’s really remarkable about this whole business is that not only the American people rejected this plan but Democrats are so desperate to pass it that they’re willing to trample on the traditional rules of the House and Senate and even trample on the Constitution of the United States to get it done.

“The Constitution provides that a bill becomes a law if it’s passed the House of Representatives and the Senate.  Democrats actually don’t have the votes to pass the Senate bill, so they’ve decided they’re going to try and pass the bill without a vote.

“Well that would be news to the Founders of this country, and a betrayal of the commitment of every Member of this Congress to the American people.  I urge the Speaker, if you have the votes for the Senate bill, bring it to the floor.  If you don’t, let’s scrap the bill and start over for the American people.”

NOTE: To view the remarks online, click here.