Give Health Insurance Lobbyists ‘At Least 72 Hours

[Nonno]

"During the Senate Finance Committee’s mark-up session of the health care reform bill today, Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) — who has had a hard time staying awake during these meetings — offered an amendment that would have delayed “a committee vote for two weeks.”

Bunning requested that the Committee put-off a vote on the health care bill until the final legislative language of the bill is made available on the Committee’s website for at least 72 hours. The amendment failed, with all of the Democrats except Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) voting against it. But had the amendment passed, it could potentially have halted the health care debate for weeks.

Before the vote took place, Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) offered a defense of Bunning’s amendment by arguing that the 72-hour provision was critical because it provides time for senators to consult with health insurance lobbyists:"

"According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Roberts has received over $172,000 in political contribution from insurance companies over the last five years. Unsurprisingly, Roberts opposes a public option because, he claims, “it won’t work.” Presumably, that’s because that’s what health insurance lobbyists have told him."

More at source: Think Progress » Sen. Roberts: We Need To Give Health Insurance Lobbyists ‘At Least 72 Hours’ To Read The Bill




It's good that this amendment failed. Remember, if the insurance companies win, you lose.

[FromTexas]

Originally Posted by Nonno

"During the Senate Finance Committee’s mark-up session of the health care reform bill today, Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) — who has had a hard time staying awake during these meetings — offered an amendment that would have delayed “a committee vote for two weeks.”

Bunning requested that the Committee put-off a vote on the health care bill until the final legislative language of the bill is made available on the Committee’s website for at least 72 hours. The amendment failed, with all of the Democrats except Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) voting against it. But had the amendment passed, it could potentially have halted the health care debate for weeks.

Before the vote took place, Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) offered a defense of Bunning’s amendment by arguing that the 72-hour provision was critical because it provides time for senators to consult with health insurance lobbyists:"

"According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Roberts has received over $172,000 in political contribution from insurance companies over the last five years. Unsurprisingly, Roberts opposes a public option because, he claims, “it won’t work.” Presumably, that’s because that’s what health insurance lobbyists have told him."

More at source: Think Progress » Sen. Roberts: We Need To Give Health Insurance Lobbyists ‘At Least 72 Hours’ To Read The Bill




It's good that this amendment failed. Remember, if the insurance companies win, you lose.

You don't think the American people have a right to see the final version of a bill so important to them and then have time to comment?

[AK-74me]

Barack Obama : "Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this Presidency"

HAHA, what a bunch of BS..... So you democrats really think it is a good thing that no one is gonna get to see the final version of this thing until it is too late? God forbid we delay it a couple of weeks when we are talking about trillions and trillions of dollars here. Today's government, what a joke.

[chernmax (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Nonno

"During the Senate Finance Committee’s mark-up session of the health care reform bill today, Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) — who has had a hard time staying awake during these meetings — offered an amendment that would have delayed “a committee vote for two weeks.”

Bunning requested that the Committee put-off a vote on the health care bill until the final legislative language of the bill is made available on the Committee’s website for at least 72 hours. The amendment failed, with all of the Democrats except Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) voting against it. But had the amendment passed, it could potentially have halted the health care debate for weeks.

Before the vote took place, Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) offered a defense of Bunning’s amendment by arguing that the 72-hour provision was critical because it provides time for senators to consult with health insurance lobbyists:"

"According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Roberts has received over $172,000 in political contribution from insurance companies over the last five years. Unsurprisingly, Roberts opposes a public option because, he claims, “it won’t work.” Presumably, that’s because that’s what health insurance lobbyists have told him."

More at source: Think Progress » Sen. Roberts: We Need To Give Health Insurance Lobbyists ‘At Least 72 Hours’ To Read The Bill




It's good that this amendment failed. Remember, if the insurance companies win, you lose.

Obama paid over $800,000 in 1 year to ACORN!!!

[Pushrod]

And you think it is wrong Nonno, to have time to read and understand a bill as momentus as a Health Bill that will affect us all?

[chernmax (Premo)]

(CNN) -- Whether by omission or commission, both the White House and Congress get a dose of blame for not living up to the new era of transparency promised by President Obama.

The president's old campaign Web site still has this commitment there for all to see:

"As president, Obama will not sign any nonemergency bill without giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House Web site for five days."

Well, the president broke that promise barely a week after taking office when he signed the Lilly Ledbetter Bill dealing with equal pay for men and women.

A good bill, and certainly one that could have survived a five-day comment period. So, maybe the White House folks just forgot?

But then there is Congress and the Stimulus Bill. How fast could you get through it?

According to the nonpartisan Sunlight Foundation, lawmakers had just 13 hours to read 1,100 pages of material that would cost the American taxpayer $787 billion.

That's less than a minute and a half per page, with no time for bathroom breaks. No wonder so many of our lawmakers didn't seem to notice that last-minute exemption clearing the way for bailed-out companies like AIG to pay out big bonuses.

So, the House tried to clean up the mess last week by rushing through another bill -- a tax on AIG bonuses. That bill was just 11 hours old before it went on the floor to be argued and then quickly approved.

And the list goes on well before the president took office.

The bank bailout got all of 29 hours, the rescue of Fannie and Freddie was only available for 19 hours. This is how bills could literally become, to borrow a phrase, too big to fail -- and too fast to stop.


The Sunlight Foundation is calling on Congress to allow the American people three days, 72 hours, to read a nonemergency bill online before debate begins. We strongly agree.

And yes lawmakers, you can have three days to read it over, too, before taking a stand. As for President Obama's promise of a five-day public review once a bill leaves Capitol Hill headed for his desk, it would be nice if he kept his word on this going forward.

And back to you NONUTS...

[waupaca]

More fuel for fire.
We had a town meeting (joke) with our illustrious Steny Hoyer a few weeks back and he admitted that he had not even read the bill before promoting and supporting it. Why do that not surprise me. The Dem party right now are primarily sheep.

Originally Posted by AK-74me

Barack Obama : "Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this Presidency"

HAHA, what a bunch of BS..... So you democrats really think it is a good thing that no one is gonna get to see the final version of this thing until it is too late? God forbid we delay it a couple of weeks when we are talking about trillions and trillions of dollars here. Today's government, what a joke.