WE Blog

Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., responded to those who’ve criticized his role in health care reform as partisan and unproductive. “This is not my first rodeo. I know how things can be achieved in the minority,” he wrote in a letter, noting his work on behalf of helping the contaminated town of Treece, securing funding for the national biolab at Kansas State University and keeping terror detainees out of Fort Leavenworth. “But this time, the deck was stacked very firmly against the minority voice. . . . Efforts to negotiate a better health care reform bill had already collapsed when the Obama administration set a rushed and arbitrary deadline for signing a reform bill into law. Despite the fact that compromise negotiations were under way with colleagues who I deeply respect, including the chairs and ranking members of the two committees, it was made clear there were going to be no compromises. Even now, Majority Leader Harry Reid and a select few are merging the two Senate versions of the bill behind closed doors, contrary to the president’s promise that the creation of the bill would be on C-SPAN for all to see.” Roberts concluded: “Rest assured, as the debate — which I expect to get even more heated — continues, you will hear my voice loud and clear. I’ll stand up for what’s right. I’ll offer and support alternative measures that I think make better sense and I’ll continue urging Kansans to share their concerns with me. I am saddled up and ready to ride.”