WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Roberts today voted against the partisan health care reform “reconciliation package” of changes to the new health care reform law.

“The Senate passage of the reconciliation package of changes to the new law again says to the American people that Washington knows better than them, and that we are not listening to them,” Senator Roberts said. “I am disappointed that my three amendments to this package were defeated. I will not quit standing up for Kansas patients and providers and will continue to do all I can to stop this government takeover of health care and replace it with a better plan to lower costs and not leave millions still uninsured.”

“The passage of this so-called health care reform and the reconciliation package represents a fundamental shift in the relationship American citizens will have with their government.”

During debate of the Senate reconciliation package, Senator Roberts fought for lower health insurance premiums, patients and critical access hospitals. Of the first 23 Republican amendments offered to modify this package, Senator Roberts had three: to strike the tax on medical devices, protect patients from government rationing, and exempt rural critical access hospitals from future Medicare payment cuts. They were all defeated by party line votes.

Senator Roberts also voted to repeal the new health care law, consistent with his earlier co-sponsorship of Senator DeMint’s (R-SC) bill to do the same, and co-sponsored an amendment with Senator Grassley to subject President Obama and senior White House and Congressional staff, to the new law. They had previously been exempted. These amendments were also defeated on party line votes.

“This new law is not real reform, and I will not stop fighting for true health care reform that the American people want and deserve. The law needs to be repealed as soon as possible and replaced with a plan that would actually lower health care costs for all families, and prohibit cost controls that would interfere with treatment decisions between doctors and patients.”

Senator Roberts voted against the health care bill on Christmas Eve.

-30-