News & Press

Will Bobby Bright Vote to “Let the Cameras In?”

(MONTGOMERY, AL) – Today House Republicans, led by Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) filed a discharge petition to force a vote on publicly broadcasting negotiations on the health care bill. The nonbinding resolution calls for “any conference committee or other meetings held to determine the final content of sweeping national health care legislation be held in full public view and not behind closed doors.”

Previously, Democrats had announced that they were forgoing a traditional conference committee for the health care bill, and instead would hold private talks between the House and Senate. Democrats also took the extraordinary measure of banning cameras from C-SPAN from covering these negotiations.

“The American public deserves to know what their representatives in Washington are doing to health care,” said Councilwoman Martha Roby, Republican candidate for Alabama’s Second Congressional District.

“Why do the Democrats insist on holding secret negotiations behind closed doors? What do they have to hide? This is only the latest example of the backroom dealings that have been a trademark of the Obama/Pelosi leadership. I call on Bobby Bright to encourage openness and transparency and support this effort to let the cameras in.”      

The measure would require 218 signatures to bring a vote to the floor. It currently has 151 co-sponsors, including three Democrats: Reps. Dennis Kucinich (OH), Gene Taylor (MS) and Heath Shuler (NC).
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