Louisiana House Members Pressure Vulnerable Dem to Put Hold on HHS Nominee

A movement in the House is putting pressure on senators — including a vulnerable Democrat — to put a hold on President Obama’s pick to replace Kathleen Sebelius.

Sylvai Burwell, who has been the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget for the past year, was selected April 11 to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. She was confirmed to her current post on a 96-0 vote.

Burwell, former deputy chief of staff to President Clinton, has a wealth of administrative experience but little in the healthcare field.

“Sylvia Burwell’s nomination as Secretary of HHS should not be considered on the Senate floor until she agrees to treat all American people fairly under the Affordable Care Act,” Louisiana GOP Reps. Steve Scalise, Charles Boustany, Bill Cassidy, John Fleming and Vance McAllister

“We ask our state’s Senators to stand with us in protecting Louisiana families from the harmful effects and penalties of the Affordable Care Act by using every tool available to them, including a ‘hold’ on Burwell’s nomination. More than 92,000 Louisianans have had their health insurance plans canceled, and some individuals in our home state are seeing their health insurance premiums increase by more than 100 percent,” they continued.

“Unfortunately, while these scenarios are playing out across the country, President Obama continues to pick political favorites through selective exemptions from the ACA. It is wholly unfair for these families to still be threatened with penalties from the IRS while the Administration has unilaterally delayed or changed the law at least 20 times to grant relief to others.”

The Republican Policy Committee helmed by Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) noted in a memo on Obamacare yesterday that during her confirmation hearings, “Burwell must answer for her role as OMB director in approving thousands of pages of Obamacare regulations.”

“The Democrats’ health care law wraps businesses in reams of red tape – already more than 22,000 pages of regulations generated from a 2,700 page law. According to a March 24 analysis, Obamacare regulations have produced only $2.6 billion in annualized benefits compared to $6.8 billion in costs.”