Washington, DC – Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks Thursday following the White House health care summit: 

 “Well we appreciate the opportunity to meet with the President today and discuss health care. And as he conceded and a number of the Majority conceded there are plenty of good Republican ideas. The core problem is this, we don’t think a 2,700 page bill that cuts a half a trillion dollars out of Medicare, raises taxes by a half a trillion dollars and drives insurance premiums up is a good idea. What we think you ought to do is start over and go step by step and target the areas of possible agreement that we discussed in the meeting today.

"Frankly, I was discouraged by the outcome. I think it’s pretty clear that the Majority including the President want to continue with basically the Senate bill. Which has even been made more expensive based on the President’s recommendations that were put on the internet a couple of days ago. But we’re happy to continue to discuss the areas of agreement, it’s just that I do not believe there will be any Republican support for this 2,700 page bill that the American people are so overwhelmingly opposed to.”

###