House Committee to Health-Care Advocacy Groups: We Want Details
Continuing their assault on the health-care law, House Republicans Monday formally requested top advocacy groups detail their interactions with the Obama Administration during the congressional health-care negotiations.
A committee source said the requests for information are part of the latest step "to seek documents and records directly from those organizations invited by the White House to help craft the law - behind closed doors, and without input from Congress."
Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) of the House Energy and Commerce Committee requested AARP, AFL-CIO, AdvaMed, AFSCME, American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, America's Health Insurance Plans, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Business Roundtable, Federation of American Hospitals, PHRMA, and SEIU reveal to lawmakers their "meetings and discussions" with any administration officials "relating to health-care reform."
Many of these groups, though not all, supported the bill President Obama eventually signed into law.
Committee Republicans also requested lists of the groups' employees who discussed health care with the White House, details of administration briefings received, and their internal analysis of the law as it developed on Capitol Hill. A committee source says the requests are not subpoenas. Lawmakers requested the groups comply within two weeks.
To read the actual letters, see below:
Congressional Letter to the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
Congressional Letter to America's Health Insurance Plans
Congressional Letter to Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
Congressional Letter to the AFL CIO
Congressional Letter to the SEIU
Congressional Letter to the American Hospital Association
Congressional Letter to the American Medical Association
Congressional Letter to the Federation of American Hospitals
Congressional Letter to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
Congressional Letter to the Advanced Medical Technology Association
Congressional Letter to Business Roundtable