Pence Discusses Health Care Reform on CNN’s 'State of the Union'

Pence Discusses Health Care Reform on CNN’s "State of the Union"

MARCH 21, 2010

Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, made the following remarks today on CNN's State of the Union:

(Excerpts Below)

On ramifications of the health care bill:

Rep. Pence: We're going to use every means at our disposal to oppose this government takeover of health care. Because quite frankly, as thousands gathered at rallies all across this country and here in the nation's Capitol yesterday, the American people are sick and tired of runaway federal spending by both parties - of borrowing and bailouts and takeovers. And I believe this is going to be a historic weekend, but I think it is going to be different from the way John [Larson] thinks it is going to be. I think it's going to be a historic weekend because I think this weekend is going to be the beginning of the end of business as usual in Washington, D.C.  I think the American people see an administration and see a Congress that are in a headlong rush to confront the very real challenges that we have in health care with more government instead of more freedom. They know Republicans have been offering solutions from the beginning. Let people purchase health insurance across state lines, pass malpractice reform, cover pre-existing conditions. All of that can be done without a massive, trillion dollar expansion of the federal government and burdening future generations with more deficits and more debt.

On the vote count:

Rep. Pence: Right. The Republicans, it shouldn't be a news flash to anybody, Republicans don't have the votes to stop anything in the House of Representatives. We are in a decisive minority. But what's remarkable about this one-year debate has proven my point that a minority in Congress plus the American people equals a majority. The reason they weren't able to do this last year - remember all of the deadlines?  We had deadlines in the summer, deadlines in the fall, we had deadlines at the end of the year.  The American people don't want this government takeover of health care. I don't know if they have the votes today, but I guarantee you, the American people know they have the votes in November.

On the health care bill's cost:

Rep. Pence: Yeah, we do such a great job here in Washington wringing out the cost.  $1.6 trillion deficit this year. Only in Washington, D.C. could you say with a straight face that you are going to spend $1 trillion and save taxpayers money. Look, you pointed out the doc fix.  This is a total fraud.  The Democrats are leaving out $200 billion in spending that the Speaker of the House committed again this week to spend, which makes this, even using this CBO's numbers, it makes this a bill that adds to the deficit in the short term and in the long term. The American people know, you expand the federal government's role in health care without giving the American people more health care choices by purchasing across state lines, without passing any medical malpractice reform at all, roughly one-third of health care costs in this country are actually defensive medicine driven by junk lawsuits.  The American people know this is going to cost more and add more to the deficit, add more to the debt, cost higher taxes even than the rosiest of scenarios that are presented.

On pre-existing conditions:

Rep. Pence: My wife had a pre-existing condition. I lost my job about 15 years ago. My wife had a pre-existing condition. She was pregnant with our daughter, Audrey. We went to the state guarantee fund, a fund that would be replenished if we passed medical malpractice reform, we could use the savings to strengthen those funds to cover people like how my wife was covered. You don't need a government takeover of health care. You don't need to mandate that every American purchase health insurance whether they want it or need it or not. And you don't need to put us on a pathway towards socialized medicine. And that's what this crowd is doing today.

On why the bill is government-run health care:

Rep. Pence: Well, I'll break it down for you. John, if you mandate that every American purchase health insurance, you mandate that every business provide it, and you create incentives for people to end up in government-run insurance, and you provide public funding for abortion, you mandate insurance plans, cover it within the exchange, it is a government takeover of health care.

On the bill using taxpayer dollars to fund abortion:

Rep. Larson: There is no funding for abortion in this bill. It follows Hyde. That's the case.

Rep. Pence: You know that is not true. The Catholic Church, the Catholic bishops, the Right to Life says public funding for abortion is in this bill.

 

NOTE:  To watch the interview online, click here.