Four of Maryland's U.S. House members took the battle over health care to the governor's residence on Monday, calling on Gov. Larry Hogan to speak out against the GOP health care bill in Washington.
Steny Hoyer, Elijah Cummings, Jamie Raskin and John Sarbanes were in Annapolis to ask Governor Hogan to speak out against the Republican health care plan.
The governor has not commented on Washington politics since the election. Still, the representatives wanted him to join four other Republican governors who have stated their displeasure with the new health care bill.
"We have come here to say that we have a bill coming up Thursday that will hurt our state and our people and we are coming here to ask for help to defeat that bill," Hoyer said. "That is why we are here.
Governor Hogan released a statement Monday.
"Instead of wasting time playing politics and holding press conferences in Annapolis, these Congressmen should be in Washington doing their jobs. This type of grandstanding is exactly why Marylanders and Americans are sick of politicians and why Congress has an approval rating in the single digits. Moreover, these members are disregarding the governor’s direct appeal to them to work in a bipartisan manner to come up with responsible solutions for Maryland. The governor and the administration are fighting to ensure that Maryland’s priorities are protected under any federal health care plan – it’s time for our federal representatives to do the same. If these Congressman actually want to do something productive while they’re in town, they should tell their friends in the legislature to quit holding up our health secretary’s confirmation," said Amelia Chasse, a spokesperson for the governor.
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