Updated: 12:02 p.m.Rep. Charles Boustany (La.) will give the Republican response to President Barack Obama’s Wednesday health care speech to Congress, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced Tuesday. Boehner selected Boustany, a former cardiovascular surgeon and a virtual unknown on the national stage, for his expertise on the issue of health care. “He understands why a Washington bureaucrat, as Democrats have proposed, should never get between a doctor and his patient,— Boehner said in a statement. “I’m pleased Charles has agreed to speak to the American people about a Republican vision for reform and the need for both parties to come together to craft a responsible proposal at a time when people across the country are focused on jobs.—Rick Curtsinger, a spokesman for Boustany, said the Louisiana Republican would discuss “solutions to lower the cost of health care that Democrats, Republicans and Independents will agree on— during his five-minute address. “As a doctor, I know we must lower costs and improve care, which we can accomplish by focusing on strengthening the doctor-patient relationship and working in a bipartisan way,— Boustany said in a statement. “Health care is a kitchen table issue that affects all Americans, and I believe we need an honest discussion about how we come together to fix what’s broken, while building on what works.—Elected to Congress in 2004, Boustany is a member of the House GOP health care task force and serves on the Ways and Means Committee. He gave the Republican weekly radio address on May 16. In a letter last week, Boehner requested that all the major television networks cover the Republican response, which will occur after Obama’s speech to the joint session of Congress. Boustany is the second Louisianan to give a rebuttal to the president this year. Gov. Bobby Jindal gave the GOP response to the Obama’s first speech to Congress.