[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 152 (Tuesday, October 29, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S7609]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                   UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. 1590

  Mr. ALEXANDER. Madam President, before the Internet, RCA knew how 
many records Elvis was selling every day. Before the Internet, Ford 
knew how many cars they were selling every day. Before the Internet, 
McDonald's could tell you how many hamburgers it sold each day. Yet the 
Obama administration cannot tell us how many Americans have tried to 
sign up for ObamaCare. They can't tell us how many people have tried to 
sign up for ObamaCare. They haven't told us what level of insurance 
they bought or in what ZIP Code they live. Not only can they not tell 
us, they have done their best to keep us from finding out.
  With WikiLeaks and Edward Snowden spilling our beans every day, 
what's happening on the ObamaCare exchanges is the only secret left in 
Washington. The National Security Agency should learn some lessons from 
Secretary Sebelius.
  We shouldn't have to rely on anonymous sources to get basic 
information about what's happening with the ObamaCare exchanges.
  Yesterday I introduced legislation to require the administration to 
tell Congress and the American people how many people have tried to 
sign up, how many did sign up, what level of insurance did they buy, in 
what ZIP Code do they live, and what the administration is doing to fix 
the problems. This isn't complicated information. In the Internet age, 
the administration ought to be able to provide this information every 
day. They should be able to provide it really every minute. We 
shouldn't have to pass a law to find these things out.
  So I hope every Senator will support my legislation. It is a six-page 
bill. It has been available to the public now for 24 hours. It is easy 
to read. The stakes are high for every American.
  So I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions be discharged from further consideration of S. 
1590, a bill to require transparency in the operation of the American 
health benefit exchanges, and that the Senate proceed to its immediate 
consideration. I further ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a 
third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made 
and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. HARKIN. Madam President, reserving the right to object, my good 
friend from Tennessee has raised just another effort to divert 
resources from the implementation of the Affordable Care Act which we 
can then use to fix the very problems he has mentioned. I will point 
out that we report jobs data on a monthly basis, and this is going to 
be a different standard. I might also point out that in Medicare Part 
D, we release those data on a monthly basis.
  I agree with my friend that there should be accountability for the 
mistakes that have happened and the implementation of the law going 
forward. In fact, right now, the Department is giving us daily updates 
on their progress in fixing the Web site.
  So, again, let's get on with business. I think enough focus has been 
placed on the mistakes. Hearings are ongoing. There will be hearings in 
the Senate also. Let's get the problems fixed and move ahead on 
enrollment without diverting resources.
  I thought about my friend's proposal, and I thought maybe we should 
amend it to say we will put in more money and get more people. I don't 
think my friend would want to do that, either, so we can take care of 
it.
  So the people there need to get the problem fixed, and let's move 
ahead aggressively to get people enrolled in what is going to be a 
positive change for health care in America.
  On that basis, I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  The Senator from Tennessee.
  Mr. ALEXANDER. Madam President, I thank my friend, the Senator from 
Iowa. I'm disappointed--this administration described itself as the 
most transparent in history. All we have asked for is how many people 
are signing up, how did they do, where do they live, and what level of 
insurance do they have. We ought to know that. Taxpayers ought to know 
it. So we'll keep trying other ways to get the information the American 
people deserve to have.
  I thank the President, yield the floor, and note the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call 
be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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