McCaul Signs Pledge Demanding 72 Hours to Read 1,000 Page Healthcare Bill
July 16, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX 10) signed a pledge (photo below) to put the brakes on the Democrats’ efforts to ram landmark health care legislation through the House without proper consideration. The pledge assures constituents of the 10th District he will not vote on the 1,000+ page bill unless he has read it in its entirety and the bill is posted on the Internet for 72 hours so the public can also read it.
“This legislation will potentially change our health care system and tax structure for many years to come,” said Congressman McCaul. “I believe, and doctors in my district believe this bill could be very damaging to quality of care and patients’ ability to make their own medical decisions. We owe it to the American people to examine it and read the fine print, and not be forced into rash decisions because of an artificial deadline.”
President Obama has set July 31 as a deadline to pass health care legislation. The House version of the Democrats’ bill, released this week, will likely undergo substantial changes during committee proceedings over the next several days, potentially leaving an insufficient amount of time for members to read the revisions and examine their effects.
Earlier this year Democrats released the 1,073 page, $787 billion Stimulus Package to members at 11:00pm the night before the vote. The bill, which Rep. McCaul voted against, contained numerous pork barrel projects that didn’t create jobs that members were not able to examine. “At best it was irresponsible,” McCaul said.
Congressman McCaul believes that quality of care and patient choice must ultimately be protected in any reform of our health care system. He is committed to working in a bipartisan manner to achieve an alternative health care solution that does not include a government-run system.