Congressional Candidate Ribble asks for transparency in health care debate
For Immediate Release
Contact: Kerry Niemcek
January 7, 2010
920-257-9746
Appleton- Former Kaukauna roofer contractor and 8th Congressional District Republican Candidate Reid Ribble joined the chorus of Americans to have the health care debate open to public scrutiny.
“We need to hold Congressional leaders accountable,” Ribble said. “They have told the American people that this Congress would be ‘transparent.’ When it comes to this debate, however, they are silent.”[1]
Congressional Democrats are under increasing pressure for not allowing talks to be subject to public view. On December 30, 2009 C-SPAN President Brian P. Lamb wrote to congressional leaders “As your respective chambers work to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate health care bills, C-SPAN requests that you open all important negotiations , including any conference committee meetings, to electronic media coverage.”[2]
“The final health care package that will come from this Congress is of national importance, and the American people deserve to know what’s in it,” Ribble said. “I call on Congressman Steve Kagen to publicly ask his Speaker to open the hearings and let the people of northeastern Wisconsin witness the debate. Isn’t it time we had transparency in the health care debate?”
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Steve Kagen calls for transparency in political speeches but won’t put it in practice with his actions. View the clip in the link below to hear Congressman Kagen in his own words talk about the importance of transparency and openness of information.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC0PUft5dl0
[1] “When I became Speaker, I pledged we would have the most open Congress in history. Led by the innovation and enthusiasm of young people, Americans and Members of Congress are holding a running conversation – in real time. There is no greater tool to increase transparency than the internet. Now, Americans can watch committee hearings, check votes, read bills, and review financial disclosures–all online. Next month, they will be able to see exactly how Members of Congress are spending their office funds, and at the start of next year, they will be able to watch and search our House floor proceedings in real time.”
http://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/pressreleases?id=1429. November 3, 2009 press release issued in conjunction with Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s appearance at the World e-Parliament Conference.
[2] http://www.c-span.org/pdf/C-SPAN%20Health%20Care%20Letter.pdf
