DENVER -- Former Colorado congressman Tom Tancredo said South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson was correct when he accused President Barack Obama of lying about health benefits for illegal immigrants.

Tancredo said Wilson shouldn't have apologized for shouting "You lie!" when Obama told Congress his health care proposals wouldn't help illegal immigrants.

"What (Wilson) said was absoultely true. The president, he was lying," Tancredo told 7News reporter Lane Lyon.

7News checked the section of the bill -- 246 -- which prohibits payments for "individuals not lawfully present in the United States."

We asked Tancredo, "Isn't that pretty clear?"

"You would think so. But in government speak,you have to understand, unless you put a penalty with something like that, it's of no consequence," Tancredo told 7News.

Tancredo said Democrats defeated GOP language that would have required the government to verify the immigration status of anyone getting benefits under the health care plan.

The current House bill also states that illegal immigrants could buy private health insurance, as many do now. But unlike legal residents, they wouldn't get federal subsidies to help them.

When Tancredo ran for president in 2007, he ran television ads linking lax border security to terrorist attacks, rape and other crimes.

Metro State professor Norman Provizer told 7News that, regardless of how people feel about the outburst or health care, it's a window to Washington.

"It also is telling you that no one should expect easy, quick solutions for health care reform."

One of the problems is the powerful health-care lobby in Washington.

In the first six months of the year, health-care interests donated $19.7 million to all federal lawmakers. More than 40 percent -- $8.1 million -- went to the campaign and political-action committees of lawmakers on the five House and Senate committees that are working on health care.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics OpenSecrets.org Web site, health professionals represent Wilson’s top industry contributors, donating a total of $244,196 to his campaign. He received another $86,150 from pharmaceutical companies, $73,050 from insurance companies and $68,000 from hospitals and nursing homes.