FixHealthCarePolicy

Democrats Urge Their Senate Leader for More Transparency with Health Bills

The New York Times reports in a blog today that eight Democratic senators have asked Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) for more time and transparency when a health care bill is brought to the Senate floor. In a letter to Reid, Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) and Jim Webb (D-Va.) pushed for the actual legislative text — not a conceptual framework that the Senate Finance Committee is working off of — along with complete budget scores from the Congressional Budget Office to be posted online for the public (and lawmakers) to read at least 72 hours before a vote.

The group also called for any amendments and their CBO scores to be available for a 72-hour public viewing via the Senate Web site. “At a time when trust in Congress and the U.S. government is precedently low, we can begin to rebuild the American people’s faith in their federal government through transparency and by actively inviting Americans to participate in the legislative process,” the Senators wrote.

The move follows amendments from Republican senators who have sought to have a 72-hour wait period before Congress voted on health care reform bills. One amendment offered in the Senate Finance Committee mark-up failed on a party-line vote.

Tags: 72 hours, Harry Reid, transparency