Congressional candidate El Tinklenberg issued a statement today regarding Congresswoman Michele Bachmann’s vote Tuesday night against the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (H.R. 6983).

Read the statement after the jump.

“The Wellstone Act deserves the overwhelming bipartisan support it earned in last night’s House vote. By ensuring that mental health and addiction get the same insurance coverage as other health concerns, this bill brings hope to millions of Americans who struggle silently and cannot afford to seek help.”

The bill was introduced by Rep. Jim Ramstad and supported by every member of the Minnesota Congressional delegation except Rep. Michele Bachmann. It was endorsed by a long list of groups including the American Medical Association, the American Nurses Association, the American Counseling Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Tuesday night it passed the House by a vote of 367-47.

“Rep. Bachmann’s allegedly ‘pro-business’ stance does not explain her opposition to this bill,” Tinklenberg said. “There’s simply no economic reason to deny people with mental illness the same access to medical treatment as others get for physical ailments.”

The bill is estimated to impact health premiums by just two-tenths of one percent, according to the Congressional Budget Office. It also exempts businesses with 50 or fewer employees and businesses experiencing overall premium increases of 2 percent or more the first year and 1 percent or more in subsequent years.

“Bachmann’s vote is a moral failure to look out for some of our most vulnerable citizens,” Tinklenberg said. “It is this kind of extremism that is preventing real healthcare reform in our country. We need to start prioritizing people’s health and wellness over the profits of the insurance companies. That’s the approach I will take in Congress.”