Timothy McNulty | July 10, 2009
Western Pa Reps. Jason Altmire and Kathy Dahlkemper were among 40 members of the conservative Blue Dog Democrats coalition who wrote Nancy Pelosi yesterday expressing reservations about the Obama administration's health care reforms. (The letter is here, with their signatures on page 3.)
Politico sums up their complaints:
The Blue Dogs' letter was emphatic in its opposition to a mandate in
the draft that requires employers to pay a fee to the government if
they fail to provide their employees with health care coverage - an early flashpoint in both chambers.
"Small business owners and their employees lack coverage because of
high and unstable costs - not because of an unwillingness to provide or
purchase it," the lawmakers wrote. "We cannot support a bill that
further exacerbates the challenges faced by small businesses."
In addition, the group pushed party leaders to seek deeper savings in
the current health-care system and to extend an olive branch to
Republicans in the hopes of securing bipartisan support for the bill.
"It is imperative that comprehensive health care include the ideas of
members of Congress on both sides of the aisle," the lawmakers wrote.
"The American public is looking for us to work together, regardless of
party affiliation, to pass comprehensive health care reform."
Posted
Jul 10 2009, 11:31 AM
by
Timothy McNulty