Apparently Speaker Paul Ryan has a new and revised bill to repeal and replace Obamacare. But here’s what we learned about it last night.
House Republican leaders have a new version of their major Obamacare repeal and replacement bill. They just don’t want you to see it.
The document is being treated a bit like a top-secret surveillance intercept. It is expected to be available to members and staffers on the House Energy and Commerce panel starting Thursday, but only in a dedicated reading room, one Republican lawmaker and a committee aide said. Nobody will be given copies to take with them.
It is hard to understand what Ryan is hoping to accomplish with all this cloak and dagger nonsense. Eventually both members of Congress and the American public will learn that it is nothing more than a veiled attempt to strip millions of people of their coverage.
But today the story got even more bizarre. First of all, Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee found the room where the secret bill was being kept – which was being guarded by the capitol police…I kid you not!
House Republicans are literally guarding their health care bill with Capitol Police. Is it *that* dangerous? pic.twitter.com/Z5HkHOHnF0
— Ways and Means Dems (@WaysMeansCmte) March 2, 2017
Eventually Sen. Rand Paul was alerted, stepped in a phone booth and emerged as the superhero who would save us all from this subterfuge.
I am heading to the secure location where they are keeping the House obamacare bill. I will demand a copy for the American people.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017
But alas, someone else beat him to it. Lo and behold, the bill was gone.
Rep. Paul Tonko (D) also tried to enter room H-157. He says staff told him the bill isn't here.
— Sarah Kliff (@sarahkliff) March 2, 2017
Indeed…as of this writing, the hunt continues. And in a true spirit of bi-partisanship, Minority Leader Pelosi has offered to help.
Just helping out @RandPaul. #ReleaseTheHounds #WheresTheBill pic.twitter.com/LrooyMFWA0
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) March 2, 2017
Of course twitter took to this story like Linda Richman to butta. For example:
Russia, if you're listening, I hope you can find the GOP health bill that is missing, you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press
— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) March 2, 2017
UPDATE: The bill is now leading Hill reporters on a low-speed chase down the Los Angeles Freeway
— Adam Cancryn (@adamcancryn) March 2, 2017
I’ll continue updating this important story as things develop.
