Washington, DC – Late last night, the Congressional Budget Office announced that the federal deficit will increase by $239 billion as a result of House Democrats’ bill to create a government-run health care plan.  The deficit would begin to skyrocket in just five short years under the Democrat bill despite $820 billion in new taxes to be paid for by individuals making as little as $10,000, small businesses and manufacturers.  In response to this announcement, U.S. Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI), the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, released the following statement.

“The more we learn about this Democrat push for a government takeover of health care, the more it becomes clear it is the wrong prescription for improving our health care system.  We don’t need to spend more on health care, but we do need to focus on reducing costs for families, small businesses and taxpayers.  The House Democrats’ bill does nothing to reduce costs.  In fact, it will increase costs, increase taxes and start to increase the size of the federal deficit in just five years.  This is not a bill that should be slammed through Congress.  It will effect every man, woman and child in this country, and we need to debate it thoroughly, thoughtfully and without artificial deadlines.”

NOTE: In addition to increasing the federal deficit, Camp has noted that two independent analyses of the bill estimate over 100 million Americans would lose their current health insurance – a direct violation of the President’s repeated claim that American’s will be able to keep the plans they have and like.  Camp has also noted that according to the economic models used by the President’s own advisors, the massive tax increases proposed by Democrats could cost millions of Americans their jobs.

###