(Washington, DC) - Congressman Wally Herger (CA-02) issued a statement today after he was selected as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Health on the House Ways & Means Committee.  Ranking Members are the leaders of committees and subcommittees for the minority party in Congress.  The Health Subcommittee oversees the Medicare program and provisions of the tax code pertaining to health care, as well as regulations affecting health insurance plans offered by large employers.  Committee organizational meetings held today determined the Republican subcommittee assignments.  In addition to his new position, Herger will continue to serve on the Trade Subcommittee.  Herger’s comments follow:

“Health care is one of the most important issues facing our district and our nation today and I’m honored to accept the privilege of serving as the Ranking Republican on the subcommittee.  It is abundantly clear that the health care system in America is broken and we need significant reform to fix it.  We need to increase transparency, competitiveness, and efficiency to make health care more affordable for all Americans.  As the lead Republican, I will continue my strong support for a system that keeps bureaucrats away from medical decisions and instead places the power in the hands of patients and their doctors.  In addition, as the representative of the district with the highest share of Medicare-eligible individuals among California's 53 congressional districts, I will work to protect senior citizens' access to health care and to place the Medicare program on a sound financial footing for the future.

“I am also very pleased to be able to continue my work on trade issues that affect our district and nation as a whole.  Trade is essential for our manufacturers and agriculture industries in Northern California.  It levels the playing field for our workers and will be absolutely necessary in order for the United States to regain its economic footing in an increasingly competitive world market.  Importantly, trade helps the United States maintain a strong presence on the global stage in matters of national security by providing a means for open dialogue between nations.”

***Please review Congressman Herger’s website for further information on his positions on health care***