Congressman Adam Putnam today urged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to support a request by C-SPAN that all future health care negotiations be open to the public through media coverage:

“The changes proposed to the nation’s health care system will affect every man, woman and child in the United States,” said Putnam. “These proposals must be debated openly.  Too many times in the past year we have had enormous legislative initiatives rushed through without the scrutiny and discussion our legislative system was supposed to guarantee to the American people.  

“Now we are in a new year, and again the Democratic leadership in Congress is meeting behind closed doors to draft their final plan for health care reform. The American people deserve openness, transparency and accountability, not more secret backroom deals. This is not the change President Obama promised the voters during his campaign.

“Recently, C-SPAN, which has the responsibility for televising the proceedings of Congress, wrote congressional leaders asking that all future health care negotiations be open to the public through media coverage. The American people deserve a seat at the table and so I strongly support this request by C-SPAN, and urge the Speaker to stand up for the American people.”

 Since 2001, Putnam has represented Florida’s 12th Congressional District, which includes most of Polk County and portions of Hillsborough and Osceola counties.