Rep. Howard P. “Buck" McKeon (R-CA), the top Republican on the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement after participating in the White House Forum on Health Reform hosted by President Barack Obama this afternoon:
“When it comes to health care, the need for reform could not be clearer. Costs are already too high, yet they continue to spiral upward. We have tried to reduce the numbers of the uninsured, yet far too many Americans remain without health coverage. The taxpayer-funded entitlement programs are on a path to insolvency, yet their reach continues to expand. Our current path is unsustainable, and it’s time to change course. On that, there is bipartisan agreement.
“President Obama is to be commended for hosting today’s summit. The only way to achieve real reform is for us to set aside partisan ideology and work toward real solutions. I hope that is the course we chart. Real and lasting reform which the American people need and want will require members of both political parties to make compromises. I am hopeful that today’s meeting was the beginning of an open and honest dialogue."
