Robin Smith Statement on Senate Health Vote

HIXSON, DECEMBER 24 – Third District Congressional Candidate Robin Smith issued the following statement after the Christmas Eve Senate vote on health care:

“The Reid-led-Democrats in the U.S. Senate have joined their colleagues in the Pelosi-controlled House to increase your taxes, voted for your health care to be controlled by bureaucrats in Washington and have taken critical dollars from Medicare to begin a new entitlement program. The Senate voted to shift a massive burden to Tennessee’s Medicaid costs while Nebraska was given a free pass on these costs to buy the 60th vote for passage.  After the House/Senate conference process, it does appear that a government-run health care plan will become law; not health care reform to reduce costs while increasing access and accountability. 

Christmas came early for trial lawyers as the Senate refused to address the damaging effect of their frivolous lawsuits on the health care system, but the rest of us received history’s largest lump of coal in our stockings. The American people, despite all the attempts to cast votes at 1:15a.m. and on Christmas Eve, have been able to witness the result of liberal policy and corrupt back room deal making.

As a Member of Congress, I will do what I’ve done for twenty years of standing for conservative causes: I will stand for the issues that represent the average citizen while working against big government.

I have been consistent and clear about reforms that will reduce costs through legal reform, by permitting competition among insurance companies across state lines and by allowing Health Care Business Coalitions to act as regional buying groups for small businesses purchasing power. I will move immediately to increase the caps for Health Savings Accounts, rather than reduce them and advocate the use of block grants to fund state Medicaid programs instead of matching funds.