CARBONDALE - U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello said Thursday President Barack Obama and proponents of health care reform need to put the brakes on their current drive for reform.

The Belleville Democrat said that, while he favors health care reform, the legislation is moving too quickly for a proposal bearing such heavy implications.

"It's a very complex proposal that presents more questions than answers," he said of the current legislation in the House, which he opposes. "I give the president high marks for attempting reform. However I think we need to slow this down."

"We need to be realists," he added. "Do not try to pass this through just so you can say we got this done. It's an issue that affects every man, woman and child in the country."

Costello said he will stick with his policy of not hosting any town hall-style meetings on health care. That forum, he said, has not been a fruitful one as they are often highjacked by one or two participants who dominate the conversation.

That said, Costello noted that he has been holding meetings and getting regular feedback from constituents, industry officials and health care lobbyists.

"Generally, what I am finding is a lot of fears and a lot of misunderstanding," he said, before noting that most people he's spoken with agree that the current system needs to be changed. "I did meet recently with insurance brokers; they believe the system should remain the same. But I've met with people from both sides of the issue; most everyone sees something needs to happen."

Costello noted that he has first hand knowledge of the problem in emergency rooms. After a recent fall in which his knuckles broke through the skin on his right hand, Costello found himself waiting to see a doctor for about three hours.

Cap and trade legislation is also under heavy discussion amongst Washington D.C. lawmakers right now, Costello said, before pointing out that he opposes the legislation. The proposal would put caps on pollution levels and allow them to be traded as commodities between polluting companies.

While he said he does believe that global warming needs to be addressed, Costello questioned the proposed legislation and said it is particularly harsh on Midwestern states compared to those on the coasts.

Lawmakers in the U.S. House have passed cap and trade legislation, a proposal Costello called a "job killer" for Illinois.

"I hope a much different bill comes out of the Senate," he said.

blackwell.thomas@thesouthern.com

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