U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway urged his constituents to help “kill” a healthcare reform bill when it reaches the U.S. Senate.

“The grassroots organizations, individuals and collective groups can weigh in on the 100 senators that are going to be making this important decision over the next three to four weeks and stop this bill,” Conaway said Friday evening at an open forum at the Burnet Bulletin newspaper office on the Burnet square. “…So if you are part of the group that wants to see it stopped and you know someone in Arkansas, have them call up the senator.”

Conaway, who represents the 11th District, which includes Burnet and Llano counties, said the healthcare reform bill, which squeaked by the U.S. House of Representatives more than a week ago, is “easier to kill in the Senate” because it is easier to influence decisions when there are fewer voting members by making out-of-state connections.

“Most of us acknowledge that there are certain things that need to be reformed, need to be addressed, and we are about the process of doing that,” he said. “But a 2,000-page wide-sweeping takeover of healthcare, in may view, needs to be killed.”

The bill currently making its way to the Senate would be too difficult and require too much time to unwind if implemented, he said. Rules for the U.S. House are consistent with what he called a “classic definition of democracy,” making Senate rules more protective of the minority.

Conaway said he voted against the bill in the House and is supportive of a shorter bill proposed by the Republican Party.

For the full story, see The Highlander.