Visalia, California - Congressman Devin Nunes today issued the following statement following a meeting with concerned citizens at Clovis East High School, which featured a discussion of health care reform legislation.

“I am very pleased that so many people were able to join me this morning to learn about the health reform legislation moving through Congress.  I expected to hear from people representing the entire political spectrum and I did.  Liberals, conservatives, and independent voters joined medical professionals from across the valley in a very civil but very impassioned forum.  It was a great success and a model for civil discourse.

I started today’s event by making clear my opposition to the current health reform bill – H.R. 3200.  I oppose the bill because it takes choice away from Americans; it takes control away from patients and doctors; and it vastly expands government power and spending. 

In addition, as a Congressman responsible for advocating on behalf of a large number of low-income Americans, I have a heightened interest in and concern for Medicaid beneficiaries.  Patients served by this government-run program have no meaningful choices when it comes to their own health care and are experiencing nothing less than second class medicine today.  It is a travesty that our government can claim to be compassionate while trapping millions of Americans in a health system that has outcomes far worse than privately insured Americans – outcomes that include unnecessarily high mortality rates.  It is potentially an even greater tragedy that some in Congress haven’t learned their lesson about government-run health programs and are trying to create a new one.