Brownback calls for open health care reform negotiations

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Sam Brownback, R-Kan. asked Congressional leadership to open final health care reform negotiations to the public and to C-SPAN cameras Tuesday morning. Brownback strongly opposed the process laid out by the Democratic leadership.

"This continues to be a terrible way to undertake a massive and massively expensive reform process," Brownback said. "There is no mandate for reform when only one member of the minority party across both chambers voted for the measure. The bill didn't have proper committee consideration in the Senate, it was rushed to the floor without proper time to review the bill and the vote was taken the day before Christmas Eve to pressure senators to vote for it."

Several reports have stated that Congressional leadership will skip the usual conference committee, which is made up of senators and House members from both parties who negotiate the differences between the two bills into one bill that both chambers then vote on. The Democrats have decided to bypass Republicans completely with a "ping pong" procedure. After closed-door informal discussions, the House of Representatives will amend and then vote on the Senate-passed bill, then the Senate will vote on the House passed bill, circumventing the conference committee process.

Brownback continued, "It's plain wrong to re-write the health care bill in secret. There are real differences between the two bills, like Medicare cuts, the public option, and new taxes, that are too big and too important to be decided in a back-room deal. I will work with my colleges in the Senate to make sure the President knows that it is unacceptable to hide behind closed doors when it comes to the business of the American people. I call on the Democrats to open the process, allow C-SPAN to air the negotiations, and include all of the people's representatives instead of just one party."

The health care reform bill that passed the House of Representatives had only one Republican vote and a significantly different bill passed the Senate with no Republican supporters. C-SPAN founder Brian Lamb has called on the President to allow cameras in the room for final negotiations.