Pelosi Removes Bipartisan Amendments to Healthcare Reforn
Posted by: Congressman Joe Pitts (11-03-2009, 06:02 PM)

When Speaker Nancy Pelosi went behind closed doors to work out her healthcare bill she decided to remove bipartisan amendments that were passed in the Energy and Commerce Committee on which I serve. Two of these amendments would have prevented the Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research from rationing care or dictating to doctors what treatments they can provide. Americans don't want government to come betweent them and their doctor. The Center is the same type of board that is used in Britain and Canada to ration care. Both of these amendments passed by voice vote, indicate that there was little opposition to their inclusion. Unfortunately, the Speaker is going to bar most amendments to the bill that will be on the floor later this week. We could make this bill better by allowing for a fair and free amendment process. We are left to assume, however, that Speaker Pelosi wants to put us on the path to government rationed care.

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Rep. Pitts Healthcare Alternatives: H.R. 859
Posted by: Pitts Press Office (10-28-2009, 04:26 PM)

 There are alternatives to the massive government takeover of healthcare found in H.R. 3200. Small businesses are responsible for the majority of new jobs created in the country and they are struggling with rapidly increasing healthcare premiums. I have worked with Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) to introduce, H.R. 859, the Small Business CHOICE Act. This bipartisan legislation allows small businesses to obtain coverage at bulk rates through purchasing pools. The bill would help small businesses offer health insurance through a refundable tax credit that minimizes risks for insurance companies by letting small firms pool their employees with those of other businesses in voluntary health cooperatives. This would allow entrepreneurs to negotiate better rates for coverage for their employees and themselves.  Additionally, self-employed individuals would save $5,000 per year on health coverage costs under this legislation. There are bipartisan solutions to healthcare, unfortunately Speaker Pelosi has locked out Republicans from the beginning.

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Government Entitlements Rarely Meet Projected Costs
Posted by: Pitts Press Office (10-20-2009, 09:40 AM)

The Wall Street Journal this morning reports on the many government healthcare programs that have far exceeded their projected costs. Only one program is currently running below it's projected cost, Medicare Part, the prescription drug plan. Government analysts point out that this is because there has been a much greater level of competition than initially projected. This might not last much longer however, since current healthcare reform legislation could add to the cost by covering all drug costs. Democrats are working hard to get favorable Congressional Budget Office scores for healthcare legislation. Unfortunately, a favorable score from CBO does not mean that the program won't create billions in new debt just a few years from now.

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Pelosi's New Tax
Posted by: Congressman Joe Pitts (10-13-2009, 02:02 PM)

In a TV interview last week, Speaker Nancy Pelosi promoted a new value added tax (VAT) to pay for healthcare and other government costs. With the Democrats planning for trillion dollar deficits into the near future, they're looking for new ways to pay for their favorite government programs. A VAT operates like a national sales tax except the fee is applied at each stage of production. You can read more about how a VAT operates at the Heritage Foundation's website. While a VAT is not currently included in healthcare reform legislation, almost every European country with national health care has implemented this hidden tax. Clearly, Speaker Pelosi knows that she cannot endlessly create new government programs without finding a way to pay for them.

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Fang Zheng Stands Up for Freedom
Posted by: Congressman Joe Pitts (10-08-2009, 10:09 AM)

Twenty years ago, Fang Zheng stood with other brave activists in Tiananmen Square to call for freedom for the people of China. When the tanks rolled in to break up the demonstration, Fang's legs were crushed beneath one of them. A man who had been training as an Olympic sprinter was now wheelchair bound. The Chinese government denied that any students had been run over by tanks and tried their best to silence Fang. Just last year, after many years of oppression, Fang was able to come to the United States and seek asylum. Moved by his story, the owners of a prosthesis center that works with wounded war veterans offered to design him new legs and yesterday, here in the Capitol, these new legs allowed him to dance with his wife for the first time ever. This YouTube video shows Fang walking on his new legs and is a powerful message of hope to those living in China and struggling to be free.

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