Twenty-three Republican senators sent a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid claiming that the health care bill violated the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007. -DB
Twenty-three Republican senators sent a letter Tuesday to Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) seeking a full accounting of provisions within the health care bill that benefitted individual states.
They argue it violates the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007.
The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-81) changed Senate rules to enhance transparency in the legislative process. The relevant change requires any amendment sponsor to publicly disclose each congressionally directed spending item and limited tax benefit included in that amendment. The design of this provision was to ensure that the American people know which lawmakers advocated for specific carve outs and earmarks.
It is clear that the Manager’s Amendment, in addition to the underlying bill, includes specific provisions which benefit some states and not others. We therefore ask you, as the sponsor of the Manager’s Amendment and underlying bill, to provide a list of all earmarks and congressional directed spending as required by The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007. We request this information be shared with our offices and posted on the majority’s website within 24 hours.
Reid’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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