Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon, member of the House Health Care Solutions Group, issued the following statement after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced a “compromise,” which includes a public option:

“Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid claimed a false victory in stating a Senate compromise has been reached.  First, my understanding of a compromise is reaching an agreement that meets in the middle between two schools of thought.  That is not what was announced yesterday.  Nothing Democrats have done throughout this health care reform process has been bipartisan.  They have locked Republicans out of discussions, and in many cases, they have locked out members of their own party.

“Tacking on a public option to health care reform goes against what millions of Americans demonstrated against at town hall meetings around the country in August, protested against during the March on Washington in September, and spoke out about in tens of thousands of letters and phone calls to members of Congress.  Democrats are ignoring the American public just as they have ignored Republicans.

“Steamrolling a bill through Congress isn’t the right answer and neither is a government takeover of the health care system.  Republicans have a plan for affordable, portable, accessible quality health care that won’t strap small businesses and individual families with burdensome taxes and mandates.”