While U.S. House Democratic leaders have spent the last few days rounding up votes to approve a comprehensive health reform bill, they won’t have the support of a member of their party from New Jersey.

John Adler

Rep. John Adler, who represents the state’s third district, announced that he will vote against a bill scheduled for a vote March 21 by the House. The vote will be to approve the Senate’s version of health reform and then approve a package of amendments.

The House needs 216 votes to pass a final health care bill and advance the measure.

In a statement, Adler said that his “serious reservations” about proposals by both congressional chambers dates back to last summer and remain in place today.

“While the final bill takes positive steps to provide insurance coverage for working Americans, I am not satisfied that the final bill will reform our health care system and prevent excessive increases in premiums for families and small businesses,” Adler said, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Adler was one of 39 Democrats to vote against the House’s health reform package in November 2009.

“Once again, Congress is failing to make the tough choices,” he said. “We are missing a critical opportunity to fix our health care system and strengthen American families and small business. We need reforms that will spur job growth and reduce health care costs for future generations.”