The House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s markup of the House GOP’s Obamacare repeal vote got off to a rocky start Wednesday, with Democrats attempting to elongate the process with a series of combative opening statements.
Ranking Member Frank Pallone of New Jersey called for more time for members of his party to rail against the legislation during their opening remarks. Chairman Greg Walden quickly rebuked the request.
“We communicated the plan for the committee markup yesterday and we heard no objections back,” Walden said, allowing one additional Democrat to give their statement.
A motion to delay the markup for 30 days, arguing more time should be provided to the public to review the text, was then voted down by GOP members of the panel.
In another attempt to drag out the process, Democrats — who say the Affordable Care Act should remain in place, maintaining their position it helped Americans gain coverage — called for a delay in the markup until the Congressional Budget Office’s scores of the legislation are released.
Rep. Ben Ray Luján on New Mexico requested the entire bill be read in it’s entirety, taking up roughly an hour.
Republicans noted the CBO report on the Affordable Care Act was also not available when the legislation was taken up in committee.
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