Weary 9/11 Health Bill Supporters Wonder, Why Won’t It Pass?
The popular legislation has become a political chit, and advocates are frustrated as they watch responders die waiting. Elsewhere on Capitol Hill, Republicans are expected to block Democrats' proposal to federally fund gun violence research.
The Washington Post:
How Health Care For 9/11 Responders Became Just Another Political Football
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan assured House Republicans in a closed-door conference meeting that the 9/11 health program would be taken care of. But it remains uncertain exactly how that will happen. “Everyone said they were for it,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney on Thursday. "But if everyone’s for it, why couldn’t you pass it?" (DeBonis, 12/14)
In other congressional news, the Senate held a hearing on why agencies, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, do not always listen to their watchdogs --
The Washington Post:
All That Advice On How To Save Money? Lots Of It Goes Down The Drain, Watchdogs Tell Congress
Federal watchdogs told Senate lawmakers Thursday that thousands of their recommendations for eliminating millions of wasted dollars every year get swept under the rug and simply never implemented. ... The auditors have made many recommendations for savings to Medicare, but although the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said it would take auditors’ findings into consideration, as of April 2015 the agency has not established a time frame for improving the accuracy of its adjustments. (Rein, 12/11)