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Edwards, Carter Vote No On Health Care Bill
Representatives Chet Edwards and John Carter were among 34 Democrats and 178 Republicans to vote against passage Sunday of the sweeping health care reform bill before the House.
Reporter: Micah T. Williams, KWTX Staff Writer Email Address: micah.williams@kwtx.com |
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10 Comments 
WASHINGTON (March 22, 2010)-Local legislators were among 212 dissenting on the sweeping health care reform bill that is expected to exceed $940 billion over the next decade.
Rep. Chet Edwards and 33 other Democrats joined Republicans who voted unanimously against the bill.
"I have listened to the people of our district and believe my 'no' vote reflects their values and mine that we simply cannot afford the new spending in this bill, given our massive federal deficits." Edwards said late Sunday night in a press statement.
Edwards indicated he would have supported a “less expensive, bipartisan” version of the bill.
Rep. John Carter, R-Dist. 31, also voted against the bill Sunday.
“I think it’s a terrible bill and I think it’s going to turn out to be a terrible thing for the American people,” Carter told News 10 in a phone interview.
The two Republicans who will face off in the April runoff for the right to challenge Edwards in November both vowed to work to repeal the measure.
Bryan businessman Bill Flores said Congress ignored “the will of the majority of Americans,” and jammed through “a destructive health care bill that will undoubtedly worsen health care in America.”
“Voters across this district and the country will not forget this betrayal in November,” he said.
Waco businessman Rob Curnock, who came within a few percentage points of upsetting Edwards in November 2008, said the bill’s requirement that Americans buy health insurance is unconstitutional.
"I am deeply troubled by the action of Congress last night,” he said.
“The quality of care in this country will dramatically decline, and unelected bureaucrats will begin making decisions about who gets care and who is left out,” he said.
"Today we must fight on, and redouble our efforts to restore our country to the core values expressed by our founders in the Constitution,” he said.
Latest Comments
Ann, your son is an example of the good the bill can do. The problem is that even those who voted against the bill agreed on those kind of reforms. The foremost problem in the bill was the lack of restrictions of Federal money funding private abortions. To those who are Pro-life this was a deal breaker. I have to agree with the Rep.'s that the Presidential Order that Obama promised to take care of the restictions isn't valid for a few reasons. 1st, unlike the bill that will become law a Pres. Order can be given and taken away without any representation. 2nd, a Pres. Order is not law, & the courts will be asked in the future to rule on the language of the written law in the bill. These things make a Pres. Order a lie. Also, the watch dog that would have regulated ins. premiums is not in the bill. The ins. co.'s will be told they have to insure a # of liabilities, but no one will reg. what they charge. Our taxes will go up to pay for the plan & our prem.'s will too to keep the status quo.
I will vote NO when election time comes. on both of you.
Chet just voted against it to save himself....too little too late...
