Mark Kirk Continues to Stand in the Way of Health Care Reform for Illinois' Families

Press Release

While more than 1.7 million people in Illinois go everyday without adequate health insurance and millions more pay too much, Washington Republican Mark Kirk continues to stand in the way of real, bipartisan health care reform. In a speech on the floor of the House yesterday, Congressman Kirk rebuked the President's health care proposal that contained several of Kirk's own initiatives and then he called on the President to abandon his current efforts.

"It is apparent that Congressman Kirk's single intention is to continue obstructing President Obama's health care reform proposal at the expense of helping Illinois families," said Senate nominee Alexi Giannoulias. "Once again, we're seeing a typical Washington politician at work who can't resist putting partisan politics before meaningful reform. He plays these games in order to help his corporate special interest friends who are interested in maintaining the status quo of high premiums, lack of competition and constantly rising costs that hurt families across our state."

Mark Kirk has accepted more than $1.3 million in contributions from the health sector, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

"But perhaps Mark Kirk doesn't think the cost of health insurance is a big issue, just like he doesn't think unemployment is a big issue," Giannoulias continued. "Congressman Kirk's commitment to inaction stands in stark contrast to my determination to fight every day to help Illinois families who have been ignored by Washington insiders like Kirk for long enough."

Giannoulias voiced his support today for President Obama's efforts to put forward a proposal that would take great strides in reducing the costs of health care, close the doughnut for seniors and ensure that those with pre-existing conditions can purchase affordable coverage.

"I support the goals of the President's proposal because it represents a great step forward in controlling health care costs," Giannoulias said. "It provides the largest middle-class tax cut for health care in history, closes the Medicare doughnut hole that hurt seniors, prohibits insurance companies from discriminating and denying care based on pre-existing conditions, and reduces the deficit."

Given his latest refusal to support the President's new bipartisan plan it shouldn't be a surprise that political observers have stopped taking Kirk seriously. In an article yesterday, Greg Hinz of Crain's Chicago Business laughed off a frivolous Kirk proposal by suggesting, "maybe Mr. Kirk should drop his Senate bid and begin a new career as a stand-up comic."

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