House Republicans Urge Bipartisanship in Approaching Health Reform - 6/12/09

The top Republicans on the House Education & Labor, Energy & Commerce, and Ways & Means Committees—Ranking Members Buck McKeon (R-CA), Joe Barton (R-TX), and Dave Camp (R-MI)—sent a letter on June 9, 2009 to the committees’ top democrats—Chairmen George Miller (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), and Charlie Rangel (D-NY)—to urge them to commit to developing health reform legislation in a bipartisan manner. The letter expresses concern that the committees are hastily developing legislation so that the House can pass a bill before the August congressional recess. The letter requests that the committees hold hearings to explore whether the reform proposals under consideration will result in millions of Americans losing their current coverage, limit patients’ ability to receive treatments or choose their own doctor, and increase the cost of health care for employers.