Even as the campaign gears up to full force, my duties as a state senator continue. This week a committee I serve on had the opportunity to stop the implementation of Colorado’s health care exchange.

Unfortunately the effort failed. Establishment politics over-ruled sound public policy. In a very direct way, this is why I am running for Congress.  

I published the following statement after the committee vote was eliminated by the chair and vice-chair of the committee:

“I am deeply disappointed that the legislative review committee was not given the opportunity to vote on a $43 million federal grant proposal for Colorado’s health exchange.

“This committee, of which I am a member, has the statutory responsibility to review all grant proposals. The chair and vice-chair do have the authority to approve proposals without a committee vote, but that was surely never intended to give them a pocket veto for tough questions. Their prerogative to circumvent the committee should only have been used for proposals that are not controversial. If a grant proposal did require the scrutiny and vote of the legislative oversight committee, such as this $43 million grant, the committee should have voted.

“I will not back down from the tough issues, or the tough votes. That is why I am running for Congress. We need leadership willing to say no to programs that grow government and take away more and more of our freedoms. The Colorado health care exchange, which I voted against last year, will implement Obamacare. Had I been given the opportunity,  I would have voted against this grant proposal, which could have stopped the implementation of the exchange. When I am given the opportunity to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, I will vote to repeal Obamacare.”

We cannot count on the establishment to win this race. We need your help right now. Please go to our website; www.Lundberg2012.com. Contribute financially, join the neighbor to neighbor calling team, work in our Loveland headquarters, distribute signs, all efforts are essential for victory in November.