WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today voted against advancing partisan health care reform legislation because of its threat to the American health care system and economy.

Senator Roberts released the following statement:

“This legislation, crafted behind closed doors, has plenty to hide from the American people, including: the $2.5 trillion cost, the 24 million people still left uninsured, the unconscionable half-trillion dollar cuts to Medicare with another half-trillion dollars in job-killing tax increases, the stunning assaults on liberty, and the Orwellian policies making health insurance even more expensive– any one of these things would make me vote no on this ill-conceived and dangerous legislation.

“But one issue has troubled me the most– and that is the issue of rationing. This bill aims to control the government’s spending on health care by rationing your access to that care. I will oppose this legislation at every opportunity.”

Senator Roberts is a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and the Senate Committee on Finance. He is Co-chairman of the Senate Rural Health Caucus.

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