Vilsack on health care vote

Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Today's Health Care Vote in the U.S. House of Representatives

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2011 – Today, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack issued the following statement on the healthcare vote in the U.S. House of Representatives:

"For far too long, folks living in rural America have suffered from a broken health care system - more so than their urban counterparts - with higher costs and less access to providers and health care facilities.

"The cost of repeal would be great. Approximately 80% of Rural Americans are self-employed or work for a small business. The law is bringing down their health care costs and the tax incentives it provides will help small businesses hire more people and provide health care coverage to employees. To address the shortage of providers in rural America, the law makes an historic investment in the health care workforce by training and supporting thousands of new primary care doctors and nurses and encouraging them to practice in underserved, rural communities. And the new law will help community health centers – which so many rural areas rely on – expand to serve up to 20 million more patients a year.
"President Obama tackled this critical issue and provided millions of Americans with the opportunity to get the quality health care they need and deserve, which makes today's vote in the U.S. House to repeal the Affordable Care Act, very disappointing."