Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason issued the following statement about President Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress:

"President Obama made another desperate attempt to pitch his plan for government-run, taxpayer-funded health care plan, the same plan that Americans have soundly rejected," Gleason said. "The President's speech was nothing short of a 'Hail Mary' pass made in an attempt to salvage a costly big government health care plan that most Americans do not want.

"The President's speech was short on details, and his assertion that the government can provide cheaper health care to more people than the current system without increasing the national deficit does not pass the smell test.

"Over the summer, Pennsylvanians made clear that they saw through the president's rhetoric and did not want to see a government takeover of their health care. I call on President Obama to listen to those concerns by ending his pursuit of big government programs and reach across the aisle to find solutions based on the same free market principles our country was founded upon."