Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., on Wednesday at an Appropriations Committee hearing on the fiscal year 2015 budget proposal for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), sharply criticized outgoing HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’s refusal to testify on the $69.8 billion spending plan that she crafted.
In her place, officials from various agencies under the Department’s jurisdiction testified. As a result, the Appropriations Committee received no testimony on the top level management and funding decisions made in HHS’s budget proposal. Shelby and other committee Republicans stressed that this impedes their ability to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely as they craft spending measures for the coming fiscal year.
“Why [didn’t she come testify]?” Shelby asked rhetorically. “Because according to the Obama Administration she doesn’t want to.”
Sebelius has become a household name over the last year after responsibility for the botched ObamaCare rollout was laid at her feet. President Obama stuck with Sebelius through the crisis, but announced last month that she will be leaving, and nominated Sylvia Mathews Burwell, his current budget director, to take her place at the top of HHS.
Sebelius’ refusal to testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee occurred on the same day another Obama Administration official, Lois Lerner of the IRS, was held in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify about the agency’s targeting of conservative groups.
The full text of Shelby’s remarks Wednesday can be read below, or viewed in the video above:
On April 2, 2009, then-Governor Sebelius testified before the Senate Finance Committee at her confirmation hearing to serve as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
At that hearing, the Chairman of the Finance Committee asked her the following direct question:
“Do you agree without reservation to respond to any reasonable summons to appear and testify before any duly constituted committee of Congress if you are confirmed?”
Governor Sebelius answered unequivocally:
“I do. And I look forward to it.”
The then-nominee gave us her word that she would appear when asked to do so. Apparently she has changed her mind.
This subcommittee and, of course, this committee has two former Secretaries: Senator Alexander who was Secretary of Education, and Senator Johanns [who was Secretary of Agriculture].
But what has not changed is this subcommittee’s responsibility to ensure that taxpayer dollars appropriated to HHS are spent wisely. That is why we wanted Secretary Sebelius up here.
In light of the failures of Obamacare, it is entirely “reasonable,” I believe, to expect the Secretary to explain how she spent money previously allocated to her department before we consider her request for $69.8 billion more.
Nevertheless, Secretary Sebelius has reneged on her promise to the Senate and refused a reasonable summons to appear and testify here today.
Why? Because according to the Obama Administration she doesn’t want to.
That’s not sufficient. We deserve better than this. We deserve more respect on this committee.
Thank you.
Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims
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