WASHINGTON: Rep. Joe Barton (R-Ennis/Arlington) released the following statement Friday about the Nation’s unemployment rate surpassing 10% on the eve of a vote on the economy crushing Democratic Health Care Plan:

“While the President and other Democratic leaders continue to tout the end of the economic recession, tens of thousands of Americans are still losing their jobs. Today it was announced that unemployment topped 10% for the first time since the early 80’s, but instead of working on policies that will create more jobs, Democrats are pushing for a vote on a health bill that will raise taxes, ration-care and kill any chance of an economic recovery.

The numbers buried in the 2,000 page Pelosi Health Plan are frightening. Democrats want to enact a $544 billion surtax on the so-called "rich" to help pay for their government takeover of health care. Many of these “rich” are really small business owners, which are more than 99 percent of all businesses in the country. And if a business can’t afford to pay for their employees’ health care, Democrats want to tax them again to the tune of $208 billion.

These new taxes will add up to the loss of an estimated 5.5 million jobs.

House Republicans oppose the Pelosi health care bill and stand by the American people in support of real solutions that will help create jobs and lower health care costs.

We have introduced an economic recovery plan that will create twice the jobs at half the costs of the Democrat so-called “stimulus,” and introduced a health care plan that will lower costs, reduce the deficit and ensure coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.

So far our ideas have been ignored, but we will continue to fight for the American people.”