JONES URGES DEMOCRAT LEADERSHIP TO OPEN HEALTH CARE TALKS TO C-SPAN

Today Congressman Walter B. Jones (R-NC) and fellow House Republicans urged the Democrat leadership to open all negotiations on pending health care reform legislation to media coverage on C-SPAN. According to press reports, top Democrats from the House, Senate and White House have decided to negotiate and hammer out a final bill behind closed doors, without any Republicans present, instead of through a formal conference committee hearing before the public. The head of C-SPAN has written letters imploring Congress to allow the American people full access to their representative’s negotiations on this massive piece of legislation. In a letter to House and Senate leaders on December 30, 2009, C-SPAN CEO Brian Lamb encouraged leadership to open “all important negotiations, including any conference committee meetings,” to be televised on his network. “Back on the campaign trail President Obama promised to air all health care negotiations through C-SPAN, and it is very troubling that he has now chosen to turn his back on the American people and break that promise,” said Congressman Jones. “I strongly support the request made by C-SPAN and urge my colleagues to support it as well,” said Jones. “It is imperative that we have transparency and accountability in government, especially with regard to a health care bill that will affect the lives of every single American. For something this important to be hammered out by special interests via back room deals and without public input is unconscionable.”