Health Care Reform

Floor Speech

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I listened with great interest when our whip and the majority leader were talking a while ago about how they would like to work with us so we can reach some kind of agreement on the public option plan, the government plan. It brought to mind when President Obama came to our caucus, our conference, early on in his administration. He indicated he wanted to work with us and he wanted to have our input. He came with great fanfare, and the media was there saying here is this man, he wants openness, and he wants to work with the Republicans. This is the kind of President we need.

He smiled, he shook our hands, he left the room and then wouldn't talk to us anymore. We have had absolutely no input whatsoever into this health care plan, and yet the facade has been created that we have. And they blame us because things haven't happened. It's because their own caucus can't get together on a plan.

The American people know that there is chicanery going on behind closed doors. And they promised us we would be able to participate in the planning for health care reform. Yeah. That was a lot of baloney then, and it's a lot of baloney now.

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