Washington D.C. - Congressman Dan Lungren (R-CA) released the following statement following the historic health care vote (220 to 215) in Congress.

"After countless hours, days, weeks and months of debate, I have found there are certain things we can all agree on: we need to increase access to affordable, quality health care coverage.

"I have said in numerous town hall meetings and tele-town halls throughout my District that we do not need to turn the entire health care system on its head.  Instead, we need to implement common sense reforms that will actually help those who are struggling because they have not only lost a job, but their employer-based health care coverage as well.

"There are other ways to expand access to affordable health care.  A combination of tax credits and subsidies can be made available that would allow individuals and families to purchase coverage that meets their needs.  We should allow Americans to purchase health care plans across state lines.

"We can provide for the creation of statewide exchanges - one-stop marketplaces - where everyone - not a select few, like the bill passed tonight - can buy coverage.  This will offer not only access, but choice.  That is the right prescription for America.

"Unfortunately, that is not what we did on the House Floor tonight.

"Instead the House of Representatives passed an historic bill which cuts 440 billion from Medicare for our seniors, kills jobs, adds $1.3 Trillion dollars to our skyrocketing debt and imposes a government plan on the public which will shift costs to private insurance plans and increase the costs of premiums for millions of Americans."

 

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Congressman Dan Lungren serves as Ranking Member on the House Administration Committee in addition to serving on the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees