WASHINGTON   –  U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) today encouraged House leaders to allow C-SPAN to televise final negotiations over a 2,000 page, trillion-dollar health care bill.

“This legislation has, to this point, been constructed almost entirely behind closed doors in the House and the Senate.  The result of that backroom process has been special deals and special interests that cost the taxpayer money and challenge the integrity of the reforms included in the bill,” Emerson said.

U.S. Senators from Louisiana and Nebraska who agreed to support the Senate bill in December garnered special treatment for their home states worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

“I completely agree with the desire of Senators to get the best deals possible for their home states, but these special deals come at the expense to every U.S. taxpayer and every patient in the American health care system.  The integrity of the process comes into question,” Emerson said.

Emerson also decried special treatment in the bill for the name-brand prescription drug industry worth an estimated $120 billion in new profits.

“When a very few members of the leadership in Congress exclude the public, exclude Republicans, and exclude concerned members of their own party from the process, we have the potential for huge influence by special interests,” Emerson said.  “It is clear to me that those special interests are taking precedence over the altruistic desire to cut costs in health care, create better access to private insurance products, and preserve a quality system for future generations.”

Emerson opposed the House version of the health care reform bill when it was previously voted upon in November, 2009.