Rep. Vern Buchanan is trying to round up enough signatures to make Congress hold negotiations on health legislation in public.
Buchanan, R- Fla., has filed a discharge petition, H. Res. 847. If Buchanan can win over enough Democrats and collect 218 signatures, the resolution could require the current round of health bill negotiations to be public and open to the media, according to House Republican leaders.
The petition drive now has about 150 cosponsors, House Republicans report.
Democrats are in the process of ironing out the differences between H.R. 3962, the House health bill, and H.R. 3950, the Senate health bill. C-SPAN has asked for permission to air the reconciliation process.
House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, is supporting to the petition effort to open up the proceedings
"These secret deliberations are a breeding ground for sweetheart deals and legislative landmines that end up not being discovered until it's too late," Boehner says in a statement.
Congressional Democrats contend that they have been more open and inclusive than the Republicans were when they were in charge, and that the Republicans are engaging in stalling tactics.
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