Vaughn Ward, one of the GOP hopefuls looking to challenge Democrat Walt Minnick in this year's contest for Idaho's First Congressional District, issued this statement concerning closed-door health care committee meetings:

Idaho 1st Congressional Candidate Vaughn Ward called on Congress to hold open televised sessions of health care negotiations.

In a December 30th letter to Democratic and Republican congressional leadership, C-SPAN Chairman Brian Lamb requested that they "open all important negotiations, including any conference committee meetings, to electronic media coverage."

"The hard working families of Idaho will not stand for the future of their health care decided behind closed doors," Ward said. "This needs to be a completely open and transparent process, where no secret deals or special interest favors take place."

"Idahoans are tired of business as usual in Washington. These negotiations should be open for all Americans to view. President Obama repeatedly promised on the campaign trail that health care reform negotiations would be public and broadcast on C-SPAN. Now, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are trying to shut out the American people by holding secret deliberations behind closed doors. This is nothing more than a ploy to hide the major tax increases and special interest provisions from the American people," concluded Ward.

The release can be found on Ward's website.  The letter from C-SPAN's Chairman Lamb can be found here.

Ward and State Representative Raul Labrador, R-Eagle,  are the two announced candidates in GOP congressional primary on May 27.