PITTSBURGH — Congressman Jason Altmire, D-4th, said he will not vote for the federal health care reform legislation.

Altmire, who represents southern Butler County, had been undecided on whether to support the legislation when it comes up for a vote in the House on Sunday.

But he said in a statement on his Web site Friday that the current bill could compound the problem of skyrocketing health care costs.

"I ran for Congress in large part because I believe we need to find a way to bring down the cost of health care," Altmire said in the statement.

"I regret that this yearlong process of debating health care reform has resulted in a final product that I cannot support. The cost of inaction on health care is great, but it would be an even bigger mistake to pass a bill that could compound the problem of skyrocketing health care costs."

Altmire said the legislation doesn't enact real reform of the system. He also said a vast majority of his constituents want him to oppose the bill.

"Particularly hard hit would be Western Pennsylvania's Medicare beneficiaries, which many experts believe would experience dramatic premium increases with enactment of this bill," he said.