House Takeover Would Give GOP Ways to Attack Health Law #p2

Joe Barton (R-Texas) hopes to become chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee next year so that he can challenge the health care overhaul law. (Photo: republicanconference)

Washington - If Rep. Joe Barton becomes the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee next year, the Texas Republican vows to make life miserable for Democratic defenders of the health care overhaul law.

He'll drag Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Medicare chief Donald Berwick to Capitol Hill for regular grilling. Democrats, he says, essentially have shielded the two key figures from answering tough questions about the new law.

That's just the beginning. Barton has a list of seven problems he intends to spotlight, including how he thinks that the Obama administration covered up cost estimates of the law before it was enacted, silenced insurers from warning customers about what they thought would be rate increases and spent money on brochures touting improvements to the Medicare Advantage program even though funding is being reduced.

While repealing the new law remains the first order of business for angry Republicans, most acknowledge that it's a long shot, considering President Barack Obama's veto power. Still, they'll possess some powerful tools to challenge the law if they win a majority in the House of Representatives — as is widely forecast — and take over leadership of the committees.

Key Republicans are threatening to withhold funding for the overhaul's initiatives and to pursue hearings and oversight investigations in order to challenge administration officials' regulations and communications with the public. Committee chairmen have subpoena power, although holding the gavel is usually enough to get officials into the witness chair.

"Oversight of the existing law will build a case for full repeal," Barton said. "We have to aggressively work to repeal the entire bill. As part of the process, we'll have very aggressive oversight."

rest at http://www.truth-out.org/house-takeover-would-give-gop-ways-attack-health-law64743