Washington, DC-U.S. Senator Jim Risch issued the following statement after his vote in opposition to the health care bill, which passed by a 60-39 vote.

"America needs and deserves real health care reform, but this bill is not it. This law spends $2.5 trillion; raises insurance premiums; increases the cost of health care and, more importantly, robs almost half of a trillion dollars from Medicare, further endangering the entire medical system. To pass this bill, the Democratic leadership literally bought Democrat votes using our money. Sixty-one percent of Americans, and an ever higher percentage of Idahoans, do not want this."

###