Forcing Congress to Read the Health Care Reform Bill
Octrober 2009
SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Politico reports today that Senate Finance Committee members have been notified that the committee's health reform bill was filed today. You can read all 1,502 pages here.
Senate Bill 1796 weighs in at 1,502 pages, according to a Senate Republican leadership source. It's still not up yet on the Finance Committee website or Thomas.gov.
So, a modest proposal:
Prior to a vote on the Senate bill, I suggest a roll call vote be ordered, asking each member to state whether he or she has read the bill, the entire bill. Not a legislative summary, not the review by staff. "Yay" or "Nay", did the member read the most comprehensive, incomprehensible, convoluted bill in recent memory.
Some members -- Democrat senators -- are reading drafts and they have serious problems with the bill. LIberal Senators Kerry, Schumer, Menendez, Stabenow and Rockefeller are concerned that the tax on high-end plans will hit plans that are not overly generous. Others are concerned about cuts in Medicaid, forced Play-or-Pay on businesses, and of course, the public option proposal.
Whatever the concerns, let's find out who has read the entire bill, so we can be assured they know what they're voting on. Also, who will be held accountable if the bill should pass.
