FAILED LEADERSHIP: A DECADE OF INACTION
Washington,
Mar 9, 2010 -
News from House Democrats
FAILED LEADERSHIP: A DECADE OF INACTION
Why Did The GOP Do Nothing on Health Insurance Reform During Their Years in Power?
For months, Congressional Republicans have been claiming that they support reforming health care – but only if Congress starts over. But their record during the 10 years they controlled all of Congress says otherwise. In those years, health insurance premiums for large employers, small businesses and families rose – yet nothing was done to make coverage more affordable or hold insurers accountable.
This is the question Republicans still have yet to answer: If they were really serious about health reform, why didn’t they get anything done when they were in charge? Actions speak louder than words. And if the Republican record tells us anything, it’s that they had no interest in solving the health care problems of the American people and small businesses when they were in power. Below is round-up of House Democrats slamming Republicans’ failure to lead:
REP. KENDRICK MEEK (FL-17): “For 10 years, Republicans talked the talk, but couldn’t walk the walk on holding insurance companies accountable. Leadership is about making tough decisions right now, not kicking the can down the road for future generations. The American people deserve an up-or-down vote, not delay tactics that dismiss the wrongdoings by the insurance companies.”
REP. LLOYD DOGGETT (TX-25): “After doing so little during their decade in power to address the health care challenges of American families, Republicans are now intent on obstructing our efforts to offer more health care choices and competition. To those obstructionists, I say if you refuse to be part of the solution, we have no choice but to act without you.”
REP. EARL BLUMENAUER (OR-03): “For ten years, Republicans stood idly by while health care costs soared, premiums skyrocketed, and millions of Americans were dropped from their coverage. Despite ten years of controlling Washington, they did nothing to address the health care crisis. Families have been bankrupted, people have died and yet the opposition did nothing.”
REP. LINDA SANCHEZ (CA-39): “Last month, a Washington Post columnist made a great point – the debate over national health care is old enough to collect Social Security. I wholeheartedly agree that the debate on how to provide health care has gone on long enough. We’ve heard and included every good idea on which we could come to a consensus. Republicans who are obstructing health care for the American people need to lead, follow, or get out of the way.”
REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (FL-20): “After hundreds of hours of hearings and nearly one hundred Republican amendments we now have two bills passed through the House and Senate, and still the Republicans say we haven’t talked about this long enough. Republicans controlled Congress for twelve years, they did nothing, and health insurance premiums nearly doubled. They had their chance and they failed every hard working American and small business owner having to pay these escalating costs and the hundreds of thousands of Americans that died due to lack of coverage, and still they attempt to delay and obstruct. Not this time, we will pass health reform.”
REP. PHIL HARE (IL-17): “Republicans had over a decade to improve health care. And what did they give us? One of the worst pieces of legislation to ever pass Congress—a bailout for the drug companies that increased the deficit and left millions of seniors trapped in a doughnut hole paying more than ever for their prescriptions. Enough is enough. It is time for an up or down vote on health care reform that lowers costs and premiums, reduces the number of uninsured, and requires insurance companies to play by the rules.”
REP. JOHN YARMUTH (KY-03): “Republicans in Congress love to say ‘start over,’ but for the ten years they were in charge, they did nothing to stop the premium hikes that hit families every year, nothing to stop people from losing their coverage when they get sick, nothing to end discrimination because of pre-existing conditions, and nothing to stop the accumulating deficit – in fact, they added trillions to it. Members of Congress with government-run health plans may have the luxury to wait around for reform, but Americans wondering how they will pay the bills when they get sick have no more time to waste.”
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Congressman Chris Van Hollen
