House GOP to Tackle Health Care ‘Waivers’ and Obama’s Expanding EPA
- Posted on January 20, 2011 at 6:53pm by
Meredith Jessup
- Print »
- Email »
The chairmen of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee are teaming up to investigate Health and Human Services’ newly formed Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO). Reps. Fred Upton, R-Mich., and Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., are respectively turning their attention toward tackling the bureaucracy of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul law, just one day after the House of Representatives voted to repeal the law by a significant margin.
House Energy & Commerce Committee chairman Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich.
While the repeal legislation is widely expected to stall in the Senate, Upton and Stearns’ actions signal that the Republican House majority will move forward in trying to dismantle the law one piece at a time.
On Thursday, Upton and Stearns sent a joint letter to CCIIO director Jay Angoff requesting further information about the office’s structure and authority. In addition, the Republican House members requested specific information on the office‘s recent decisions in granting waivers to several businesses and labor unions which temporarily exempt them from complying with the new federal law’s requirements.
At least 222 companies have qualified for the ObamaCare “waivers.” (Click here for the complete list)
“Most troubling is that your office is currently responsible for deciding who does not have to comply with the massive new regulations imposed by the PPACA [Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act],” the letter stated. “Currently your office has approved waivers from the PPACA’s annual limits requirements for 222 applicants.”
“In a Nov. 30, 2010 meeting with Ranking Minority Member Michael Burgess, you stated that your office had also denied waiver requests. We would appreciate if your office would explain how a decision is made on whether compliance with the PPACA is necessary.”
According to the Daily Caller, the letter was also sent to Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.
On a separate front, The Hill reports that Upton has also announced plans to carefully examine the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) climate change regulations this year.
In a document outlining his agenda for the year, the Energy and Commerce chair stresses that it is “critical” the Obama administration refrain from “imposing its new global warming regulatory regime, which will undermine economic growth and U.S. competitiveness for no significant benefit.”
“While the individual items included in the document are not surprising, the agenda, taken as a whole, illustrates the breadth of GOP opposition to the White House energy and environment agenda,” The Hill notes.
According to GOP’s “agenda,“ the EPA has been responsible for regulating ”too much too fast” without fully examining the widespread impacts on job and economic vitality. In response, the committee is looking to direct its attention toward breaking the EPA’s regulatory “chokehold” to help spur economic recovery.
“The stakes could not be higher,” the document says. “If the Obama administration succeeds in imposing unaffordable and unworkable permitting and other rules through EPA, it will severely impede the domestic manufacturing and industrial growth necessary for this nation to create jobs and emerge from a devastating recession.”
Reigning in the EPA may also help put a small dent in the nation’s rising debt. Columnist Art Horn noted Thursday that the federal government will spend about $4 billion on global warming research this year, “despite the fact that there has been no global warming since 1998, and despite all of the billions that have been spent so far yielding no conclusive evidence that using fossil fuels to make energy has any significant effect on Earth’s temperature… In 2011, your government will spend $10.6 million a day to study, combat, and educate about climate change,” he wrote.
With new polls suggesting an overwhelming majority of Americans are feeling the pressure of rising gas prices, the committee has also signaled its intent to tackle what it calls “artificial” burdens on U.S. domestic oil drilling.
“In the face of $4 gasoline, calls for increased supply will be stronger than ever,” the agenda states. “We will respond by promoting affordable, abundant and secure sources of energy by preventing the administration’s regulatory overreach and expanding access in an environmentally responsible way” — a response that will include reducing “regulatory red tape” at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Comments (33)
Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In
Popular Stories
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 695 Comments
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 508 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 353 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 341 Comments
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 329 Comments
Faith
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 329 Comments
Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 341 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 252 Comments- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 148 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 302 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 329 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
AFeatherAdrift
Posted on January 22, 2011 at 1:21pmYes, by all means, use the next two years to try to undo everything, so we can return to that blissful time and the end of the dubya administration. You remember, when the economy was going over the cliff? Yes, give us dirty water, dirty air, and please, pollute our seas with more oil spills. Then when you are done, raise taxes of the middle class, reduce them even further on the rich, and keep up the matra that it will all trickle down to ya lemmings. It’s been 10 years. Still waiting for the damn trickle. Wake up! Two more years of GOP NO means you will lose your party in 2012. But I‘m thinking you don’t really care. After all, you got teabuggers as the new minority party. Yeah, that garners about 20% of the vote. You can squeal from the sidelines as we become a one party country, thanks to you.
Report Post »DisillusionedDaily
Posted on January 22, 2011 at 9:14pm@ FeatherAdrift
No one wants to spoil the environment! I fail to see, however, just how giving up jobs in America so we can import more goods, forcing everyone into a union wether they want to join or not, expanding welfare to all those who refuse to work unless it involves working the welfare system, or taxing everyone to death will fix our problems. I believe that everyone in the country should pay a 10% tax on everything they earn, corporations and businesses should pay a flat 12% of net profits and welfare should pay subsistance amounts that will encourage the recipients to get off their butts and go to work. I don’t believe that government has to have a presence in every aspect of our lives. So, I recommend that you go do something productive and say “goodby” to Mr. Obama. He will be a one term president.
P.S. I am white but not a racist! I intend to support Herman Cain in 2012. If you look closely you will see that Mr. Cain is black. But what is more important, Mr. Cain did not listen to all the socialists while he got his education!
Report Post »TerryJ70
Posted on January 22, 2011 at 10:17amI hope this doesn’t turn out to be just a mirage. this needs to happen and happen quickly. Congress is being singlehandedly made insignificant.
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 8:48pmPoliticians generally get nothing but flak in their mail – it’s time to send a few roses to those in the House that are pursuing the American Dream of getting to a smaller government that only does what the Constitution allows it to do.
Report Post »jackact
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 6:39pmBasically if you are a ‘green’ business/corporation or a borderline marxist media outfit you get a ‘waiver’.
Report Post »How transparent.
dontbotherme
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 6:21pmAll right! I love it! Go get them…
Report Post »David
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 6:17pmHehehehehehehe.
I am loving the cries of unfair of the leftists. Several sites are screaming, but the conservatives cannot repeal the ObamaCare job KILLING bill! It is all for show they are screaming.
I just say, who has the purse strings in Government? Elections have consequences as does imposing marxist rule in a Constitutional Republic.
Reload! De FUND now.
Report Post »KrackaShabazz
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 6:08pmI called my representatives and said it was time to rein in the EPA and FCC who are trying to bypassfailed legislative attempts by using the illegitimate power of regulation.
Report Post »Please do the same.
NHABE64
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 3:34pmGo GOP! Your winning so please keep doing what your doing! We the People are behind you 100% so don’t stop now!
Report Post »dizzyinthedark
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 3:19pmWhy defund our Military? Just defund the rest, EPA, Dept. of ED, Commiecare, USDA, FDA, oh yeah one more defunding, the retirement plans for ALL politicians past and present!
Report Post »jpjc
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 12:25pmRepeal ethanol subsidies now !
Report Post »LukeAppling
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 11:28amSo much to work on so little time. We can thank Obama and his friends for bringing this on themselves
and not let up until Obama is a memory.
Report Post »powhatan
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 10:36amYES! Just keep hammering at these guys from every angle…non stop…don’t let up…work 24/7 if you have to! We are with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »wash1776
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 9:50amI don’t know if anyone can stop that destroyer in the white house, but I hope so. COMMUNIST!
Report Post »Liberty7
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 8:17amJoan, a famous man once opined, it is better to remain silent and let people think you are a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt. However, now that I give it a second thought, you opened that clap trap of yours long ago spewing forth foolish rhetoric so, I guess my point is moot.
Report Post »Arc
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 6:00amLet me see if I have this correct.
Obamacare is requiring everyone to purchase health insurance. The 14-16 million people who are in the US illegally will also be required to purchase health insurance right???? So we add all the waivers for select companies, all the illegals, all the people who will opt to pay the fine instead of purchasing insurance, that leaves the fast dwindling labor pool to support Obamacare for the waivered throngs.
. As the employment dwindles, so does the tax revenue. The jobs market is shrinking and will not be able to generate the revenue needed to cover the cost of Obamacare. Existing business owners will soon see their labor force begin to resist paying for all the free Obamacare. Employee moral will tank, productivity plummets and the attrition rate of employees will have an adverse effect on the employers “bottom line ”.
Since most employers have received waivers, their employees will have no insurance, thereby forcing the employees of waivered companies to purchase insurance. They too decide not to purchase insurance and pay the fine which increases the burden on other workers to pay for Obamacare. The jobs market continues to shrink so the government has to increase producivity so we can export more goods to help pay for Obamacare.
Unfortunately the demand for our exports decrease thereby forcing business owners to cut back on their hiring practices. Eventually the private jobs market shrinks to such an extent that the only revenue generating workforce is federal employees and the federal government soon will have to cut their workforce.
No Jobs =, no revenue, No revenue =,No wages, No wages = no fine paying or insurance purchasing.
Tax base shrinks to such an extent that the US can’t pay its bills. Times get so tough the Democrats forfeit any congressional races since no money exists for their salaries.
Layed off senators and congressmen form an alumni club but soon realize the folly when noone can pay their dues.
Meanwhile, those who have learned to live off the land, their instincts, their common sense and their belief in God, and fellowman, revisit the Constitution.
Report Post »Its Gonna Getcha
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 5:55amStill wondering why POTUS didn’t just splurge on a gold-plated board game, a sexy midnight movie, and “authentic” garbs from each EPCOT country for FLOTUS to wear on her way back from ordering hidden cameras in my refrigerator light. Because that‘s what’s happening anyways, and talk about all the money we could be saving right now. Right now! And we have what? Two more years? You know, put them in a simulation room for a while to soothe them.
Report Post »cykonas
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 5:07amDon’t just stop the health care bill. Take the agency apart. HHS is not unconstitutional and is unneeded.
Report Post »Anne G
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 4:43amHere he comes…..the MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA!!!
Report Post »CASS SUNSTEIN. Glenn said it, and as usual, he is right. Got
to get rid of this guy. Got to stop this “nudging”.
beebacksoon
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 8:57amAnd the #2 PuppetMaster, George Soros!
Report Post »justice
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 4:18amInvestigate, we are watching every move. On the left and right. Get this country back on track.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 3:47amGo, Upton, GO!!! Tear ‘em up!
The new Republican House has the Dems looking around bewildered and asking, “”WTF?! We thought we had it made!”
Report Post »mrzmac
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 2:45amno matter what is reported in the MSM…this is exactly why the Democrats lost in November; Americans want these agencies investigated, exposed and stopped before they completely ruin this country. We want to know what the “other hand” has done, is doing and we want it stopped. We want government for the people, by the people!
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 5:16amI agree…Defund the EPA, USDA and FDA now…just for starts.
Defunding is a huge tool. Please use it!
Report Post »beebacksoon
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 8:56amDustyluv
Report Post »We can add DHS, and even parts of DOD.
TexasCommonSense
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 9:27amDefund the DoE and ED, too. The DoE was established to reduce our dependence on foreign oil; it was a major failure. The states can, and should, be able to manage their own educational systems.
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 2:31amHe is using the EPA to get his agendas through and will claim that his hands are tied and it won’t be his fault. “Dirty little secrets, dirty little lies”.
Report Post »Stuck_in_CA
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 7:32amGotta love the multi-front attack the GOP is executing. Trying to reverse the harm BO has inflicted on us, will be an awesome task.
Report Post »Keep goin’, gang!
grandmaof5
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 8:52amBend over, union members, you and your dues are being used and abused. Was it as good for you as it was for your leaders who are getting rich off the sweat of your brow? Can’t think of anything to do with that extra money the unions took from you……how about a night out, Disney World, a new pair of shoes for the kids. When are you going to get tired of being treated like you don’t have a brain or the ability to make sound decisions? Collectively members are smarter than their leaders but have been bullied for so long I guess they have given up. This is your chance to take a stand – DO IT!
Report Post »beebacksoon
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 8:54amStuck_in_CA
Report Post »AMEN! Go GOP! The list to un-do is, seemingly, endless, but We The People are behind you!
Curioso
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 11:13amThere should be no exemptions from the health care bill for any group or individual including the United States Congress and Senate or anyone in the administration. They should pass a bill to make it mandatory that all receive the same as everybody in the country. Here we go again with the elites versus the rest of us. Hopefully the bill will be repealed. There are other bills that have been passed that need to be repealed also. Why does the government need to know every credit card transaction that transpires?
Report Post »docvet
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 2:05pmI was afraid the House couldn’t do more than one thing as a time. All I’ve heard about is the losing effort to tackle Obamacare. I think I see a faint glimmer of a light at the end of the tunnel. Pretty faint, but I think I see it.
Report Post »DisillusionedDaily
Posted on January 21, 2011 at 9:45pmPlease stop the granting of waivers re healthcare. The waivers are being granted to stifle critization until 2012. At that time Obama hopes to be elected to his second term and he will not care about the criticism any more. Have you not noticed that the majority of theser waivers are being granted to his “Supporters”. Disallowing the waivers may have the effect of starting the erosion of his base.
Report Post »