Edwards: Reading, Still Uncommitted on New House Healthcare Bill
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Posted: 8:52 AM Nov 4, 2009
Edwards: Reading, Still Uncommitted on New House Healthcare Bill
Congressman Chet Edwards said he has not given his commitment one way or another on the healthcare bill soon to be debated in the House of Representatives.
Reporter: Steve Fullhart
Email Address: fullhart@kbtx.com
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Congressman Chet Edwards said he has not given his commitment one way or another on the healthcare bill soon to be debated in the House of Representatives.

Edwards spoke on Brazos Valley This Morning Wednesday.

"The new bill was introduced last Thursday. It's 1,900 pages long. I'm on Page 910," Edwards said. "I'm going to keep my commitment. I'm going to read that bill before making a final commitment on it."

Edwards said he wasn't sure if the bill would make it to the floor of the House this week, and that he also wasn't sure if there would be a majority of the votes there to support it.

Unveiled October 29, the bill is a combination of three versions discussed in House committees. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi put the price tag on the bill at $894 billion, but she added that it would cut the federal deficit by $30 billion over the next ten years. The plan does include a public option.

Republicans in the House say the bill would be a government takeover of the system, raise taxes and ax jobs while not addressing the rising cost of healthcare.

In the unveiling of the Pelosi plan, dozens of House Democrats stood with the speaker on the steps of the capitol. Rep. Edwards said he was not among the crowd.

"I could oppose it. I could support it depending on what's in the bill, and again, I'm about halfway through the bill that was introduced last Thursday."

In his interview, Edwards also discussed the Barron Road project that got underway, the speed at which stimulus funds like those used at Barron is getting out for use, and the veterans health bill recently signed by President Barack Obama.

To watch the entire interview, click on the video above this story.

Congressman Edwards, along with his Republican counterpart Kevin Brady, will appear monthly on the region's only local morning show to discuss what's happening in their districts and in Washington. Click here for more on Brazos Valley This Morning.

Information from CNN was used in this report. KBTX is an affiliate of CNN.


Latest Comments

Posted by: Walt Location: College Station on Nov 12, 2009 at 01:47 PM

Chet Edwards is a pure socialist liberal soldier for Nancy Pelosil. His only indecision is whether Nancy will give him a pass to vote against a bill that he knows his constituents do not want. Have yet to see him vote against Pelosi on a bill that loses by a small margin. Time for a change we can believe in!!
Posted by: chris Location: college station on Nov 12, 2009 at 06:57 AM

vote against health care bill or i will vote against you.if you read it chester you will probably be the first.
Posted by: Vote Chester Edwards Out of Office on Nov 6, 2009 at 11:11 AM

Chester is going to vote with his liberal buddy Nancy Pelosi, as he he has done 98% of the time. Remember, this is a guy that endorsed Barry Husein Obama for president last year. We have no reason to believe that Chester is going to suddenly stop being a socialist radical any time soon.
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