Louisana Republicans Push 'Hold' on Burwell Nomination
By Niels Lesniewski Posted at 4:50 p.m. on April 29, 2014
Five House Republicans from Louisiana want to see the states Senate delegation try to delay confirmation of Sylvia Mathews Burwell to be Health and Human Services secretary until they get assurances about equitable enforcement of health care law provisions.
Its likely to be an ill-fated exercise, one thats clearly about pressuring Democratic Sen. Mary L. Landrieu.
Families across Louisiana have faced cancelled health insurance plans, rising health insurance premiums, and the loss of access to doctors and hospitals while watching the Administration pick political favorites through selective exemptions from the ACA. It is wholly unfair for families to still be threatened with penalties from the IRS at the same time as insurance companies and businesses are granted unilateral relief, the letter said. Please join us in calling for fairness for all under the law by placing a hold on Ms. Burwells nomination until she agrees to provide equitable treatment for all Americans under the Affordable Care Act.
In a brief interview with CQ Roll Call, lead signatory Steve Scalise, R-La., suggested that, Burwell might pledge to expand a hardship exemption under Obamacare to everyone.
Clearly President Obama has not enforced the law fairly and neither has Secretary [Kathleen] Sebelius, Scalise said of the outgoing HHS leader. Theyve left regular hardworking taxpayers in a lurch.
Weve asked our two senators to seek a hold if she doesnt in fact make that commitment, he said.
Scalise and his fellow Louisiana Republicans are making a request that lacks teeth to stop or even significantly delay Burwells confirmation. In aftermath of last years deployment of the nuclear option to effectively change Senate rules with a simple majority vote, only a majority is needed to get a Cabinet secretary through to confirmation.
That means even a united GOP front in the Senate using Burwell as a proxy in the battle over what Republicans view as improper executive actions to make changes to the health care law would not imperil her confirmation.
With 55 members of the Senate Democratic caucus, a hold from Sen. David Vitter, R-La., would seem unlikely to hold water.
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Louisana Republicans Push 'Hold' on Burwell Nomination