Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Ranking Member Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., today announced they have sent a letter "demanding Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius provide requested documents related to the major problems with HealthCare.gov by October 28th or face the possibility of a subpoena from the House Oversight Committee."
“Your failure to provide Congress information that would shed additional light on these problems is a troubling indication that you are refusing to hold people accountable for this costly and failed enterprise,” the members write to Secretary Sebelius. “While you have refused to provide information to Congress, you have been a frequent guest on numerous news and television comedy programs subsequent to October 1, 2013. It is unacceptable that you are providing information to numerous other outlets, but not to Congress.”
“During the months prior to October 1, 2013, the Administration and many HHS officials assured the American people that the health insurance exchanges would be ready to successfully launch on October 1, 2013,” the letter continues. “It is clear that you and other high-ranking HHS officials either provided false testimony to Congress or did not know how badly the development of the HealthCare.gov was proceeding. Either scenario, if accurate, is inexcusable and demands accountability from your department.”
The letter concludes, “If you do not comply with the Committees’ requests by 5:00 pm on October 28, 2013, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will be forced to consider the use of compulsory process.”
Chairman Issa and Senator Alexander said they originally requested the documents on Oct. 10..
The letter is here.