Shadegg, Mitchell Explain Their Healthcare Bill Vote

Arizona Representatives voted along party lines in Saturday night's House vote on health care reform.

Democrats Grijalva, Giffords, Kirkpatrick, Mitchell and Pastor all voted in favor of the health care bill. Republicans Flake, Franks and Shadegg all voted no. The bill passed by a vote of 220 to 215 .

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Harry Mitchell says he voted in favor of the bill to keep the debate moving forward. But his counterpart on the Republican side, Congressman John Shadegg, strongly opposed the bill and made that point in a very unusual way.

Shadegg held up a 7-month-old baby during a debate in the House Saturday. Maddie is the daughter of his Chief of Staff. Shadegg used the baby to make a point about the cost of this health care bill.

Sunday, Shadegg said, "We're getting much more positive feedback than negative feedback… some people didn't like the points I made and didn't like the fact that I was illustrating that the cost of that bill will be passed on to people Maddie's age."

Democrat Harry Mitchell supports the health care bill, which includes a public insurance option provided by the government. Mitchell touched on criticism from Republicans who say this will be a government takeover.

"If it was a government takeover of our healthcare system I would have never voted for that," says Mitchell. "This bill is far from perfect and it will move the process along. The good news is, this bill will not increase the deficit. According to the congressional budget office, it will in fact decrease the deficit over 10 years. This will not add to the debt."

Both Mitchell and Shadegg think the bill that passed the House last night will go through many changes than whatever piece of legislation that comes out of the Senate.

Shadegg thinks the Senate bill will likely go without a form of public insurance option.

Statement by Harry Mitchell

I believe that doing nothing is not an option, Mitchell said. The bill before us is not perfect. No bill ever is. I believe further improvements need to be made and the House needs to work with the Senate to get it done. The political way out would be a vote to do nothing. But playing it safe, which I could do, is why big problems - like health care and immigration reform - have yet to be tackled. I agree with the recent remarks of Republican Senator Olympia Snowe when she said that when history calls, history calls and that there should be no mistake about it: my vote today, is my vote today. And it in no way forecasts my vote for a final bill in the future. But we can only make improvements if we move the ball forward.

Statement by John Shadegg

This is a tragic day for all Americans, a day that will go down in infamy for anyone who believes in freedom, liberty, and the future of our nation and its citizens.

Time and time again, Speaker Pelosi and her majority dismissed the pleas of thousands of Americans throughout the country - thousands including older Americans, single mothers, and entire families who have been affected by our ailing economy and who now must face the fact that the health care they enjoy is a casualty of partisan politics and poor socialistic policies enforced by the House Democrats.

The most important thing Speaker Pelosi and President Obama could have done to reform health care would have been to show the American people they were listening to their concerns and fears about a government takeover of health care. Its too late.

For months now, Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats have had every opportunity to reject big-government proposals and could have invited Republicans to the table to discuss real solutions and ideas that would have brought down the cost of health care and bettered quality. Sadly, they chose to double-down on a health care overhaul Americans simply do not want. Now we will all pay for their arrogance and wrongfulness. Americans deserve better.

Americans have joined with us on the front lines to fight the government takeover of health care every step of the way. They must not get discouraged because the fight will continue. This is only halftime. Those fighting for freedom must continue to make their voices heard every day, to everyone, everywhere. This is a matter of life and death. I, for one, will always choose life and freedom!