WASHINGTON, D.C.  -  The members of Alabama’s Republican congressional delegation today made the following statements about the threat of government-run healthcare to America’s economy after speaking on the floor of the House of Representatives in opposition to the Democrat majority in Congress. Today’s floor speeches come a week after Republican members spoke out on June 21st against liberal policies that contribute to the record unemployment numbers in Alabama and across the nation.

During the month of June, the national debt increased by $223.7 billion and, as of July 1, 2009, the national debt had increased $2.9 trillion since the Democrats took control of Congress on January 3, 2007. The Democrats’ proposed health care bill would increase the federal deficit by more than $230 billion over 10 years.

Congressman Jo Bonner (AL-01) said, “The American people have genuine concern about what they are seeing come out of their federal government.  Republicans know our healthcare system needs repair.  We just do not want to see it destroyed all in the name of making it better.”

Congressman Spencer Bachus (AL-06) said, “As long as we continue with this ‘government knows best’ approach, we are not going to get the health care reform or the kind of economic recovery that the American people deserve.  We’ll only get bigger government, rationing and diminished quality of care, higher taxes, and fewer jobs.”

Congressman Mike Rogers (AL-03) said, “The American people don’t want [government-run health care].  They want real reform just like the Republicans do.  We want to have cost control, we want quality and we want access with real reforms."

Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) said, “There isn’t anyone in Congress who does not want to make our nation’s healthcare system better.  However, with federal spending at the highest level in American history, the economy in a severe recession, and unemployment rising every day another massive government program with more spending, more borrowing and higher taxes will only hurt already struggling American families not help them.”
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