Quincy, IL – One congressional candidate from western Illinois says the biggest problem with the proposed health care reform bill is the required government control.
Republican Bobby Schilling of Rock Island says he has a problem with the federal government getting between himself and his doctor. He says he has read about of the bill and has not seen a whole lot that he could support.
Schilling says the current system should be improved, not replaced. "We don't have the best system," says Schilling, "so we need to tweak the system that is at hand. Do some tort reform and address the doctor shortage."
Schilling says health savings accounts should also be promoted as part of health care reform.
Schilling says Congress should not be able to pass a bill that weighs 10 pounds, which is what he says the proposed health care reform legislation weighs when printed out. Schilling believes the proposed legislation was prepared years ago and presented to Congress, as opposed to it being written within the last few months.
Schilling says that if the current Congress gets even a portion of the legislation approved, the rest will follow through quickly.
Schilling, a small business owner, is challenging Congressman Phil Hare in Illinois' 17th district. The district stretches from the Quad Cities to Quincy and from Quincy to Springfield.
Schilling says one reason for running for Congress is because he does not feel the voices of the 17th District are being heard in Washington, D.C.