Press Releases

Rep. John Kline (R-MN), Senior Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement today in response to reports that the White House has negotiated with Big Labor to exempt union health care plans from a proposed excise tax. In recent days, congressional Democrats have come under fire for their proposal to finance their government takeover of health care through a tax on high cost plans because it would disproportionately burden those making less than $200,000. While union members might now avoid the new tax increase, non-union workers would still be hit with significant increases in health care costs.

“This latest backroom maneuver is yet another example of how the Administration and their enablers in Congress will cut deals with their special interest allies to impose a government takeover of health care,” said Rep. Kline. “They have resorted to buyoffs and sweetheart deals at the expense of other hard working Americans. Moreover, they have ignored the American people’s calls for greater transparency. Rather than continue their partisan deal making behind closed doors, congressional Democrats and the White House should open these negotiations to the public so all Americans can know – as President Obama said they should – who is negotiating on their behalf and who is working for the special interests. To restore the American people’s faith in an open, honest, and transparent government, we need to scrap these special interest giveaways and start over on real health care reform.”

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