Rep Dan Maffei
/ file photo
EAST SYRACUSE -- Representative Dan Maffei announced his support Tuesday morning for the controversial health care legislation now before the House of Representatives.
At a news conference at the American Cancer Society office in East Syracuse, Maffei said he decided to support the bill after weighing both sides of the issue. He concluded the health care reform legislation would "save money and save lives." Maffei said "doing nothing is no longer an option."
The 25th District Congressman says he met personally with President Barack Obama and is now trying to convince his fellow congressional representatives to support the legislation. Maffei says the decision comes after weighing the opinions and inputs of thousands of constituents, and the barrage of television ads and phone calls from the opposition has only strengthened his resolve to support passage of the bill.
“I will work as hard as I can to pass this, and help him (Obama) convince other members of the Congress because that's how important it is, and he was very persuasive that this is not one of these things you can come back to next week or next Congress and do it better,” said Maffei Tuesday.
Maffei also says he's proud to support the legislation because it will expand coverage, lower costs and stop unfair practices by insurance companies. Doing nothing, he says, is no longer an option.
In response, Ann Marie Buerkle, a local lawyer and nurse and the Republican candidate for Maffei’s seat in November, issued this statement: "While not surprising, Dan Maffei's decision to blindly side with Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid in support of flawed health care reform demonstrates a lack of leadership and independence."
Buerkle called Maffei’s endorsement of health care reform “Premature, because he doesn’t know how it will impact taxpayers.” She pointed out “The reform legislation is not in its final form and the Congressional Budget Office has not ruled on its impact.”
Buerkle also said “People in the 25th Congressional District are concerned about jobs and the economy” and “Washington isn’t listening.” She adds that while health care has issues that need to be addressed, she says it “Doesn’t need this massive overhaul.”
In Washington, Republicans are assailing Democrats over their plans to push massive health care legislation through the House without a direct vote.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that "anyone who endorses this strategy will be forever remembered for trying to claim they didn't vote for something they did."
Democrats say no final decision has been made on the complex strategy. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wants to shield lawmakers from having to vote directly on a Senate-passed health care bill because it's unpopular with House Democrats.
Instead, under her favored approach, lawmakers would approve a rule for debate that would deem the Senate bill passed once a smaller package of fixes to the larger bill has also passed.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
