KSRM Radio: Alaska Senators Split on Health Care Vote
U.S. Senators Mark Begich and Lisa Murkowski continue to be on opposite sides of the health care reform debate. On Saturday night’s cloture vote to allow floor debate on the bill, Senator Mark Begich continued to support the bill with a yes vote. In a statement over the weekend, Begich stated that he voted in favor of moving the bill forward; however, he emphasized that his vote is not a vote on the final legislation.
Begich said the Senate owes it to the public to fully debate the health reform legislation. Late last week, prior to the cloture vote, Senator Begich took to the Senate floor to urge support for floor debate to let the process work.
Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Murkowksi released a statement after her vote in opposition to the floor debate. According to Senator Murkowski, "The 2,074-page, $2.5 trillion Democrat health care bill, drafted without public input in the privacy of Majority Leader Harry Reid’s office, is not reform." Murkowski said, "Simply put, it’s government-run health care that will raise taxes on individuals, families and small businesses, increase health insurance premiums and cut Medicare by a half trillion dollars." She joined Republicans opposed to the debate.
Source: By Joe Nicks. Origianlly published by KSRM Radio on November 23, 2009
