U.S. Rep. John Tanner today issued the following statement regarding H.R. 3962, the health care reform legislation expected to be considered by the House.

“In recent months, I have discussed with countless Tennesseans their ideas for how we can achieve the overarching goals of health care reform: to keep what works in the present system and fix what is broken.

“All Americans should have access to affordable, quality health care, and those who already have health coverage they like should be able to keep it. Most of us also agree that the sky-rocketing costs of medical care pose financial problems for families, small businesses, states and the federal government. Addressing these costs, which will continue to rise, should be the primary goal of any bill passed by the House.

“After careful review of the current legislation pending in the House and the Congressional Budget Office’s analysis, I believe the bill will not help control the long-term costs of health care and puts in place an infrastructure that is not fiscally sustainable over time. I am unable to support this legislation in its present form.

“Most of us realize that serious reforms are needed to fix what is broken in our health care system. Specifically, we should work to reform health insurance; ensure no one can be denied health coverage because of a pre-existing condition; and slow the upward curve of health care costs. I will continue talking with Tennesseans and working with others to achieve these goals, improve our health care system and ensure our reforms help solve, rather than contribute to, our nation’s long-term fiscal challenges.”

Tanner represents the 8th Congressional District in West and Middle Tennessee. Co-founder of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats, Tanner serves on the Ways and Means Committee, where he chairs the Social Security Subcommittee, and on the Foreign Affairs Committee. A veteran of the U.S. Navy and the Tennessee Army National Guard, Tanner chairs the U.S. delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and is serving a two-year term as NATO PA President.