Childers’ Statement on Blue Dogs Waving the White Flag
True to form, Rep. Childers did not really say much of substance or give any indication about what he is thinking with Obamacare.
“Most of us agree that our health care system needs reform to lower health care costs for working families; however, reform is a complicated issue and one that’s too important to do in a hurry. It is more important that we get health care reform right than get it fast.
“Today, the Blue Dog Coalition, of which I am a proud member, reached an agreement to allow more time for consideration and negotiation before a bill is brought to the House floor. This slow-down marks a victory for Blue Dogs, who have stood firm in their commitment to health care reform that makes sense over reform that meets a self-imposed deadline.
“In the grand scheme of things, whether we pass a health care bill in the House in August or early this fall is a minor detail. Whatever we pass will take a significant amount of time to fully implement, and it will have major ramifications for years to come. We need to take the time to get this right. We need a bill that will not only pass; we a need a bill that will work.
“I hope the House will ultimately be able to craft a bill that focuses on lowering costs for hard-working families, allows people to keep their current plan and doctor, and increases competition in the marketplace. I also hope this legislation does so in a bipartisan, fiscally responsible manner. During today’s tough economic times especially, we have to balance the need to reform our health care system with the need to practice fiscal discipline. I will keep a close watch on proposals being considered in the Senate Finance Committee, and will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come up with a health care reform bill that makes sense for the American people.”
