“Thirty-nine Republican senators demanded answers from the White House on why unrelated federal agencies are spending funds to help implement and promote ObamaCare.”
‘“At a time federal agency budgets have been tightened by the sequester and the White House has warned of cuts to basic programs, I would like to know how 21 agencies, such as those overseeing agriculture and education, would have the taxpayer dollars to implement and promote the new health care law — an activity outside of their missions and an expense not authorized by Congress,” Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said Friday.”
[…]
“We write to ask for information about the activities being undertaken by twenty or more federal agencies with no responsibilities under the President’s health care law in the implementation and promotion of that law, specifically about what the agencies are doing, what funds the agencies are spending, and what authorities the agencies are using,” the letter stated.”
“The senators said they were prompted to send the letter after reports that the Food and Drug Administration, Department of Education and the Department of Labor, among others, were promoting ObamaCare, also known as the Affordable Care Act.”
“The lawmakers said they want to know what funds these agencies are using since Congress did not authorize that spending.”
[…]
GOP senators demand answers from White House on ObamaCare promotion
By Ramsey Cox
08/02/13
Excerpts from the Senators’ August 1st letter to White House Counsel:
“On June 3, the Food and Drug Administration sent a notice to families, individuals, small businesses, and clinicians promoting insurance market changes in the new health care law even though its actual statutory mission is to assure the safety of food, drugs, and medical devices….”
“During a recent interview, Secretary [Arne] Duncan stated that the Department of Education will assist with the dissemination of health care information and that there is a team at the Department of Education currently helping with implementation….”
“Also, the attached three spreadsheets, which may have been sent to all government agencies, appear to specifically require agencies to provide information and undertake activities in support of the health care law regardless of their statutory missions and responsibilities. For example, the first spreadsheet appears to require a list of agency notices and forms where referral information for the President’s health care law will be included in the future. The second document appears to require a list of promotional activities being conducted. The third document appears to request a stakeholder list of potential implementation target groups….”
“HHS now appears to be evading Congress’ constitutional power of the purse by using unrelated resources and authorities dedicated to other missions.”
Letter to: Ms. Kathryn Ruemmler, Counsel to the President, August 1, 2013
http://thehill.com/images/stories/blogs/flooraction/jan2013/obamacarepromoletter.pdf