Pearce: ‘It’s just gonna get way more expensive’

Sen. Monty Pearce, R-New Plymouth, a former House member, took a swipe at the house where he now serves as he opened his testimony in favor of HB 117, the health care nullification bill, of which he’s a co-sponsor. Pearce said when he left the House, the speaker told him, “You effectively raised the IQ of both bodies on leaving this one.”

Pearce, whose testimony was punctuated by a burst of applause from the crowd that caused the committee chairman, Rep. Tom Loertscher, to rap the gavel and warn the audience that applause won’t be tolerated during the hearing, told the panel, “Committee, this is about governmental control of people, and it’s a great step into socialism.” He asked, “Is the federal government the exclusive judge of its own power?” Asked how he would improve health care for the uninsured or poor, Pearce said he has no plan, but doesn’t think the federal health care reform law will help. Said Pearce, “We’re still going to have the problems, it’s just gonna get way more expensive.”