WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) commented on the bipartisan health care reform summit:

“While I appreciate the President’s willingness to finally listen to the many ideas Republicans have for a step-by-step process to improve our health care system, I was disappointed he refused to take the necessary steps for a real bipartisan agreement including taking the reconciliation option off the table.

“We saw today there are areas where Democrats and Republicans agree. However, there are fundamental disagreements that will prevent me and many of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle from supporting this trillion-dollar government takeover of health care, which will lead to rationing and the demise of the doctor-patient relationship.

“Kansans have told me they want a bill to reduce health care costs, many want to keep the coverage they currently have, and I overwhelmingly hear that our country cannot afford the current bill. I couldn’t agree more. To be clear, I believe we need commonsense health care reform. But this bill is the wrong approach. We need to start over with the kinds of step-by-step reforms that the American people want, and that the country can afford.”

Senator Roberts is a member of both the Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committees.

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