In the wee hours of the night, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) provided the critical 60th vote to move President Barack Obama’s massive government-run health care bill forward by voting to invoke cloture on Democrat Senate Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) Manager’s Amendment.

Unfortunately, the bill that Specter voted to advance tonight will lead to higher taxes, massive cuts to Medicare, taxpayer-funded abortions, and higher health care premiums for families, seniors, and small businesses in Pennsylvania.

National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Press Secretary Amber Wilkerson Marchand issued the following statement in response to Specter’s vote this evening:

“In the dead of night, Arlen Specter helped President Obama and Harry Reid move their massive government health care bill forward, which slashes hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicare, increases taxes for struggling families and small businesses, and still allows for taxpayer-funded abortions in America.

“The bill that Specter supported today breaks President Obama’s campaign pledge that no one earning under $250,000 would see a tax increase under his Administration, and it cuts critical funding for hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, and home health care services for Pennsylvania’s seniors.

“As Arlen Specter eagerly provides President Obama with his much-needed 60th vote for his contentious and costly health care bill, there’s no doubt that he will be forced to explain his hypocritical support for this massive and flawed initiative if he makes it to the General Election next November.”