Capito Wants Final Health Discussions Televised By C-SPAN

Congresswoman Supports Request from C-SPAN Officials

WASHINGTON – Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., is urging the Democratic congressional leadership to consent to a request from C-SPAN officials that all final health care negotiations be available for live broadcast to the American people.

“We’re talking about legislation that will immensely change the make-up of our nation’s health care system,” said Capito. “It should follow that West Virginia families have an opportunity to watch as such meaningful negotiations unfold.”

“The President himself once said that health care discussions should be open to the public and aired on C-SPAN. So it is only appropriate that the American people would expect such a promise to be honored.”

Officials at the congress-focused cable news network recently sent a letter to congressional leaders requesting the opportunity to provide coverage of all forthcoming health care negotiations “LIVE and in their entirety.”

C-SPAN’s appeal for transparency, however, comes as top congressional Democrats have indicated that they will exclude Republicans from final health care talks.

Noting her frustration with these developments, Capito suggested that the American people deserve a more open and fair process.

“When we should be looking to find common ground and work together, instead we’re seeing more of the backroom, closed-door partisanship that has marked the entire health care debate,” she said.

“This isn’t what West Virginians expect from their elected leaders and I urge the Speaker and Majority Leader Reid to agree to C-SPAN’s very reasonable request.”