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"We cannot find the bill": inside the frantic hunt for the GOP Obamacare replacement
This really happened - not an episode of VEEP.
The draft legislation was rumored to be in H-157, a nondescript meeting room in the House of Representatives. When legislators arrived, Capitol Police were guarding the entrance, and dozens of reporters were waiting outside for the much-anticipated legislation.
But the first Congress member to arrive — Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who appeared to have a mobile printer in tow, perhaps to make copies of the bill — was promptly denied entry.
“We’re here asking for written copy of this because this should be an open and transparent process,” Paul said after being denied entry into Room H-157. “This is being presented as if it’s a national secret. As if it’s a plot to invade another country.”
But the first Congress member to arrive — Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who appeared to have a mobile printer in tow, perhaps to make copies of the bill — was promptly denied entry.
“We’re here asking for written copy of this because this should be an open and transparent process,” Paul said after being denied entry into Room H-157. “This is being presented as if it’s a national secret. As if it’s a plot to invade another country.”
The next legislator to attempt to get in was Rep. Paul Tonko, a Democrat from New York, who was also denied entry.
“Ranking member [Rep. Frank Pallone] knew about the number, I don’t know if it was shared officially, so we came over here to read the bill,” said Tonko, who serves on the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee with Pallone. Tonko said he was told the bill was not in the room, but was not given any information on where it was.
Shortly after, Ways and Means Chair Kevin Brady exited room H-157 with the same news: no bill inside. He said he was there for a different meeting, with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who chairs the Republican Governors Association. “There’s no bill in there,” he said. When I asked him where the bill was, he said, “You’ll have to ask someone who has got the bill.”
Another strike.
“Ranking member [Rep. Frank Pallone] knew about the number, I don’t know if it was shared officially, so we came over here to read the bill,” said Tonko, who serves on the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee with Pallone. Tonko said he was told the bill was not in the room, but was not given any information on where it was.
Shortly after, Ways and Means Chair Kevin Brady exited room H-157 with the same news: no bill inside. He said he was there for a different meeting, with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who chairs the Republican Governors Association. “There’s no bill in there,” he said. When I asked him where the bill was, he said, “You’ll have to ask someone who has got the bill.”
Another strike.
http://www.vox.com/2017/3/2/14792196/gop-obamacare-bill-search
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