Politics

GOP Senator Won’t Confirm Obama OPM Nominee Until This Happens

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Juliegrace Brufke Capitol Hill Reporter
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Republican Sen. David Vitter defended his hold on the nomination of Beth Cobert for director of the Office of Personnel Management Wednesday, saying she shouldn’t be confirmed because of her role in allowing Congress to exempt itself from Obamacare.

Vitter has slammed OPM’s decision, saying Congress’ ability to get its health care through the Small Business Health Options Plan (SHOP) — which requires a business to have 50 or less employees – undermines the American people’s confidence in government.

“Beth Cobert has supported and executed this rule as Acting OPM Director and has indicated that she would continue to do so if confirmed,” he wrote. “Congress under Republican House leadership and Democratic Senate leadership when the rule was issued, also was complicit in this fraud.”

Vitter questioned in February whether the Congress, which has roughly 16,000 employees,  was in violation of the tax code since it lists itself as a large employer on tax forms, yet continues to use the SHOP marketplace.

“This is an outrageous act of fraud. And the the OPM rule is patently illegal. It’s all exactly the sort of Washington insider self-dealing that Americans are so sick and tired of,” he continued. “In fact, it is so egregious that OPM, under Beth Cobert, has responded to my written questions by asserting, among other things, that it never took the position that the House and Senate are small businesses of 50 employees or fewer eligible for the DC Small Business Exchange.”

Vitter asserted he will continue to hold the nomination until changes are made “either legislatively or administratively.”

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