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Health Care

As the husband of a nurse practitioner, I know full well the need for quality care and access to our health care system. The cost of providing and accessing quality health care is skyrocketing, and patients are the ones bearing the brunt of these costs in the form of higher premiums, increased co-pays, and greater prescription drug costs. The health care problems facing our nation today are the result of more than 50 years of ineffective public policy, business practices, and other contributing factors.

I believe reforms to the system must be implemented correctly and thoughtfully, based on effective solutions that represent the best of our health care system: maintaining strong doctor-patient relationships, the opportunity for Americans to have a voice in the way their care is administered, access the best and most effective technology, treatment, and cutting-edge therapies, and leading the world in research and development.

The most important priority of this Congress is reviving our economy and creating good, sustainable jobs. We need employers to keep the employees they have and to invest in hiring new workers. The proven generator of new jobs is small business, but the small business owners that the law is supposed to assist are among the loudest voices against it. The job-crushing impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enacted by the previous Congress, is one of numerous factors supporting a vote for repeal.

After supporting repeal, I voted in favor of H.R. 9, a bill which directs various Congressional committees to write new healthcare legislation that enhances access and quality without threatening our nation’s economic well-being in the process. The healthcare overhaul that was negotiated behind closed doors and hurried through Congress on purely partisan votes has brought us farther away from achieving these necessary goals. Proven replacement options like pooling of risk, competition across state lines, medical liability reform and greater flexibility for states to administer Medicaid programs all need to be given real consideration. That is exciting work for this new Congress. We can do better for the American people, and we will.