An Open Letter to the United States House of Representatives: Support the Health Care Transparency Resolution!
Dear Representative:
On behalf of an ideologically diverse coalition of millions of Americans, we write to strongly urge that you sign the discharge petition for H. Res. 847. Introduced by Representative Vern Buchanan (R-FL), this petition would force a vote on a bipartisan “Sunshine Resolution” to call on Congress and the Obama Administration to conduct all negotiations surrounding landmark health care reform legislation “in full public view and not behind closed doors.”
The last few months of deliberation on health care have exposed myriad issues on which the left and right sides of our political spectrum are deeply divided. However, robust transparency in the drafting of legislation is one of the few matters that bind all of the signatories together. Simply stated, Americans of all political stripes are united in their demand for an end to the cloistered discussions that mar our legislative process.
Our health care system affects too many lives and too many dollars to allow legislation reforming it to be designed in secret. Should such a bill become law, it would alter the circumstances of tens of millions of families and businesses. Those Americans need full access to any meetings in which decisions will be made regarding final language and details about how each chamber will proceed to the legislation, whether between Members, their legislative staff, or outside interests.
Signing this discharge petition will not be an act of politics, but one of principle. It will demonstrate your belief in the values of transparency and openness in government that enjoy overwhelming support by the American people and have been touted by President Obama and Congressional leaders. Please sign the discharge petition for H. Res. 847 in order to provide the transparency that your constituents want and deserve.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
Duane Parde
President
National Taxpayers Union
Jim Martin
Chairman
60 Plus Association
Laurence Socci
Americans for Conservative Values
Bill Wilson
President
Americans for Limited Government
Tim Phillips
President
Americans for Prosperity
Tom Jenney
Arizona Director
Americans for Prosperity
Grover Norquist
President
Americans for Tax Reform
William Haygood Shaker
Volunteer President
American Council for Health Care Reform
Dick Patten
President
American Family Business Institute
Terry Francke
General Counsel
Californians Aware
John Tate
President
Campaign for Liberty
Sandra Fabry
Executive Director
Center for Fiscal Accountability
Jeffrey Mazzella
President
Center for Individual Freedom
Barbara Anderson
Executive Director
Citizens for Limited Taxation
Wendy Wright
President
Concerned Women for America
Rick Scott
Conservatives for Patients Rights
Brian McManus
Director of Federal Affairs
Council for Affordable Health Insurance
Thomas A. Schatz
President
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste
Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.
Tom McClusky
Senior Vice President
Family Research Council Action
Matt Kibbe
President and CEO
FreedomWorks
John Tillman
CEO
Illinois Policy Institute
Michelle D. Bernard
President and CEO
Independent Women’s Voice
Donald P. Racheter, PhD
Director
Iowa Transparency Project
J.H. Snider, MBA, PhD
President
iSolon.org
Colin Hanna
President
Let Freedom Ring
Michael D. Ostrolenk
National Director
Liberty Coalition
Lew Uhler
President
National Tax Limitation Committee
Doug Kagan
Chairman
Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom
Danielle Brian
Executive Director
Project On Government Oversight
Paul Gessing
President
Rio Grande Foundation
John W. Whitehead
President
The Rutherford Institute
Robert S. Knego, MD
President
Sarasota County Medical Society
Ellen S. Miller
Executive Director
Sunlight Foundation
Dane von Breichenruchardt
President
U.S. Bill of Rights Foundation
Michael D. Ostrolenk
National Director
Liberty Coalition
Lew Uhler
President
National Tax Limitation Committee
Doug Kagan
Chairman
Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom
Danielle Brian
Executive Director
Project On Government Oversight
Paul Gessing
President
Rio Grande Foundation
John W. Whitehead
President
The Rutherford Institute
Robert S. Knego, MD
President
Sarasota County Medical Society
Ellen S. Miller
Executive Director
Sunlight Foundation
Dane von Breichenruchardt
President
U.S. Bill of Rights Foundation