Will Health Care Conference Negotiations be held publically?

[BeachSiO2]

Below is a letter from CSPAN to Congressional leaders asking that negotiations over the Health Care reform Bill be done publicly.

Per the Hill:

Democratic leaders have reportedly decided to skip formal conference and instead talk behind closed doors to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate bills.

C-SPAN, which would normally televise a conference committee, especially on such a hot topic, wants the negotiations to be public.

December 30, 2009


The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker
United States House or Representatives

The Honorable Harry Reid
Majority Leader
United States Senate

The Honorable John Boehner
Minority Leader
United States House of Representatives

The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Minority Leader
United States Senate

Dear Speaker Pelosi:
Representative Boehner:
Senator Reid:
Senator McConnell:

As your respective chambers work to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate health care bills, C-SPAN requests that you open all important negotiations, including any conference committee meetings, to electronic media coverage.

The C-SPAN networks will commit the necessary resources to covering all of these sessions LIVE and in their entirety. We will also, as we willingly do each day, provide C-SPAN?s multi-camera coverage to any interested member of the Capitol Hill broadcast pool.

Since the initial introduction of the America?s Affordable Health Care Act of 2009 in the House and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in the Senate
C-SPAN has televised literally hundreds of hours of committee hearings, mark ups and floor debate on these bills for the public to see. And importantly, we have archived all of this video for future generations to study in the C-SPAN Video Archives.

President Obama, Senate and House leaders, many of your rank-and-file members, and the nation?s editorial pages have all talked about the value of transparent discussions on reforming the nation?s health care system. Now that the process moves to the critical stage of reconciliation between the Chambers, we respectfully request that you allow the public full access, through television, to legislation that will affect the lives of every single American.

We hope you will give serious consideration to this request. We are most willing to employ the latest digital technology to make the cameras, lights and microphones as unobtrusive as possible.

Please contact me if I can answer any questions.


Sincerely,

Brian Lamb

 

[Bob]

was there any transperancy in the years of collective screwing of america by the axis of ama/pharma/insurance behemoths?

 

[30ashopper]

was there any transperancy in the years of collective screwing of america by the axis of ama/pharma/insurance behemoths?

Based on the current health bill, you're refering to 2009-2010 correct?

 

[Lynnie]

I'd actually love to be there!

 

[bdc63]

Breitbart.tv ? The C-SPAN Lie? See Eight Clips of Obama Promising Televised Healthcare Negotiations

 

[Lynnie]

Might take my RV to DC. I'm actually fired up about a few things as these days roll by~~~~~

 

[30ashopper]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pO1oJPps1I"]YouTube- Jack Cafferty Rips Obama on Failed Openness Pledge: 'Just Another Lie Told for Political Expediency'[/ame]

Uh oh.

 

[Lynnie]

Good job, Cafferty and strong comments, I'd say. Thanks for posting, 30A. I was watching Fox and you know......? Beck is annoying. Mute.

However, since our President tried to boycot Fox in a country of freedoom of press as a standing principle, I decided to boycot all of the others so when they detect my boobtube's channel, I hope I am sending the message. ;-)

 

[scooterbug44]

I go both ways on this.

I want people to be able to see the sausage being made and think the more that is public the better, but wonder if anything could really be accomplished if everyone is playing to the cameras ................ and knows the footage will be up for grabs to be "soundbited" and "spun".

 

[AlphaCrab]

was there any transperancy in the years of collective screwing of america by the axis of ama/pharma/insurance behemoths?

Oh, how quickly that was forgotten by the fragile mind of your average anti socialist Teabagger ... the out-of-power and out of touch Republican are prescribed whiners.