WASHINGTON (September 10, 2009) - Congressman Spencer Bachus (AL-6) made the following remarks in response to President Obama's address on health care to a Joint Session of Congress last night.

"Lack of understanding of the President's plan is not the problem.  The constituents at my town hall meetings in Alabama understood the plan all too well and they see no reason to give up their present health care for a government-run system.  The government cannot create a host of new benefits at no extra charge and do it cheaper, better, and more efficiently than the private sector.  There are many common sense ways to improve health care by making coverage more portable for those who change or lose their jobs, more accessible for people including those with pre-existing conditions, and more affordable by reducing waste and fraud and passing medical malpractice reform.  But putting the government in charge is not the answer and will make things worse."