Doug Hoffman, the conservative Republican candidate for Congress (NY-23), today called on Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat leadership to give the American people a "yay or nay" vote on the healthcare proposal under consideration.  Hoffman, an Essex County CPA and small businessman characterized Sunday's vote as "a cynical quest to ram this unpopular legislation down the throat of the American people."

Doug Hoffman said, "On Sunday, Congress is scheduled to vote on healthcare using the parliamentary procedure known as "deem and pass".  This procedure will allow the Democrats to push passage of the healthcare proposal through the House without recording a roll call vote from its members.

"The deem and pass vote being pushed by Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat leadership is nothing more than a scam being perpetrated on the American people. The Democrats know that the healthcare proposal is incredibly unpopular with the voters and they will do everything in their power to protect House members like Bill Owens from being held accountable for his vote in next November's mid-term elections.

"If we have learned anything over the last year, it's that the Americans are thirsting for transparency and accountability in Washington.  Unfortunately, Bill Owens, Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats are ignoring these cornerstones of democracy in their cynical quest to ram this unpopular legislation down the throats of the American people.

"I call on my opponent Bill Owens to speak up and oppose the so-called "deem and pass" proposal and join me in calling for a straight up and down vote. Now is the time for citizens of New York's 23rd Congressional District to call the offices of Speaker Pelosi and Bill Owens to let them know that we deserve openness and transparency in the healthcare debate, not backroom deals and hidden votes."