Reconciliation is Wrong for Healthcare Reform

Former U.S. Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) – “Instead of working with Republicans...the Democratic leadership is committed to using a hyper-partisan parliamentary maneuver to force their version of healthcare reform on the country."

Contact: Chris Barron
(202) 286-4533

(Washington, D.C.) –Today, U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), confirmed to Politico that Democrats intend to use reconciliation to pass healthcare reform. President Obama, while not using the word reconciliation, has also signaled he will support using the parliamentary procedure that would only require a simple majority in the Senate. In response, former U.S. Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), current President and CEO of Main Street, issued the following statement:

“Instead of working with Republicans to build a bipartisan healthcare reform bill, the Democratic leadership is committed to using a hyper-partisan parliamentary maneuver to force their version of healthcare reform on the country.

“The confirmation that Democrats intend to use reconciliation makes the President’s high profile public healthcare summit appear to be no more than a cynical, politically-motivated dog and pony show. Actions speak louder than words, and Democrats are making it clear that they never had any real interest in crafting a bipartisan compromise.

“We can make quality, affordable healthcare available for all Americans, and we can do so without burdening our children and grandchildren with mountains of debt. To do so, however, we need to focus on bipartisan solutions that will expand access, lower costs and improve the quality of care – not rely on parliamentary parlor tricks to pass an ineffective and unpopular bill.”

The Republican Main Street Partnership (RMSP) is dedicated to promoting and building a pragmatic, thoughtful, fiscally conservative, and inclusive “Governing Majority,” where political debate is encouraged to promote solutions to improve the lives of all Americans. Embracing the full spectrum of center-right ideologies and values in order to build coalitions, RMSP is the largest organization of elected leaders who are in the mold of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan. For more information on RMSP, visit our website at www.republicanmainstreet.org.