Former New York Gov. George Pataki joined about a dozen Texas lawmakers at the State Capitol to protest the federal health care bill Tuesday.

Pataki, a Republican, is leading the Revere America National Petition Drive to gather 1 million signatures in support of repealing the bill. They gathered on the 235th anniversary of Paul Revere’s famous ride. Tuesday's stop was part of a three-day, six-state tour.

"Two-hundred and thirty five years ago, Paul Revere embarked on his historic ride warning the people that their freedom was in danger. The people joined together. They defeated liberty’s enemies. Our unwavering commitment to freedom has been the cornerstone of a nation that has prospered and flourished," Pataki said.

Organizers said the group is touted as an organization dedicated to advancing common sense public policies rooted in traditions of freedom and free markets. The Revere America Web site, however, offers no specific proposals for replacement legislation.

The rally drew a small, but enthusiastic crowd of about 100 people. Other attendees of the event included Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams and Attorney General Greg Abbott, who has filed a lawsuit against the federal health care bill claiming it is unconstitutional.

Proponents of the bill say it will provide more affordable health care for small businesses, create jobs, lower health care costs over time and eventually save the government money.

Critics say the opposite. Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said the bill is too expensive.

"ObamaCare does more to grow the federal government and increase the national deficit than it does to get Texans the quality health care they deserve,” Dewhurst said.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the federal legislation will cost $940 billion over the next decade, but should reduce the federal budget deficit by $118 billion with new taxes and spending cuts.

Critics also argue the bill rations health care and hurts small business.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that small companies would get $37 billion in tax credits over the next 10 years, however penalties for employers that do not provide coverage to their employees take effect in 2014 and could total $65 billion in revenue to the health care program.

Republicans also argue the legislation will result in fewer practicing physicians.

While the role doctors will play in the future of health care reform, remains somewhat uncertain, the nation is already facing a deficiency in primary care doctors. Though the legislation provides incentives to attract more doctors to the field, some worry its not enough to offset the cost of medical school and medical malpractice insurance, a subject doctors say the bill fails to fully address.

Also, a 1997 Congressional budget provision that recently took effect reduces payment rates to doctors, who administer Medicare services, by about 21 percent in 2010. The payment rates would continue to decline in subsequent years.

State Rep. Linda Harper-Brown said the nation needs health care reform that leaves health care decisions up to the doctor and patient and lets insurance companies compete in a free market.

“We need health care reform that puts patients and doctors in charge of health care, promotes free market competition for private insurance and ensures greater access to affordable and portable health care," State Rep. Linda Harper-Brown said.

Portable health care refers to health care that travels with employees from job to job.

After the rally, members of the nation's largest union responded.

The AFL-CIO said the issue of health care is not new, and that this fight over health care reform resembles the battle for social security and Medicare.

"They heard the same arguments, yet the country did not collapse when Medicare and social security came into being. We still had democracy the next morning, the next year, the next decade," Texas AFL-CIO President Becky Moeller.

Houston State Rep. Garnet Coleman also spoke to members of the union.

"In the conversation with Gov. Pataki this morning, that I had, he said 'Well I like all those things that you just mentioned about preexisting conditions and all of that, those are good things in the bill.' I said 'Well what do you want to replace? You want to take away the health insurance that people are going to get, because people have limited incomes?' He didn't answer that," Coleman said.

Starting in 2014, the federal legislation will make it illegal for insurance companies to deny coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions.

Another speaker at the AFL-CIO event said health care is fundamental to human rights, and should not be treated like a commodity.

A House committee begins working on implementation of the health care reform act Thursday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report