Washington, DC – Rep. Raul Grijalva, co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, today issued the following statement on the Senate Finance Committee health care bill:

“The Senate Finance Committee Bill does not address the most pressing health care issues facing Americans today. Most importantly, it does not offer a public option to compete with the insurance companies, which an overwhelming majority of voters are calling for as this process moves forward. According to a recent CBO analysis, a public option paying providers a rate at Medicare plus five percent will save the government $110 billion over ten years. A strongly competitive public program will contain costs and effectively expand access. As we have stated numerous times, any bill without a public option cannot pass the House of Representatives. The Finance Committee bill is far from the final word on health care reform, and I look forward to continuing our work in the House to pass better and more effective legislation with strong public, Medicare plus five, option language.”