Lummis Tweets Health Care Markup
Updated: 4:54 p.m.
In a rare glimpse into the human drama of a House bill markup session, Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) this afternoon live-tweeted the House Budget Committee’s reconciliation markup of the health care reform bill on her Twitter account, “CynthiaLummis.”
“I just voted against reporting the bill from the budget committee to rules committee, it passed 21-16,” she tweeted at 3:34 p.m. “Now we move on motions to change the substance of the bill.”
Lummis, who staunchly opposes the proposed health care reform bill, mentioned at 3:36 p.m. that her GOP committee colleague Rep. Connie Mack (Fla.) offered a motion to “to protect the doctor-patient relationship from federal bureaucrat interference.” It was the only motion she mentioned and she did not follow up on whether or not it passed.
But Republicans must not have been happy about the proceedings, because Lummis’ next three tweets quoted the committee’s ranking member, Paul Ryan (Wis.), as saying that “we r here because [Sen.] Scott Brown was elected in [Mass.],” “real reform is needed but this is a sham,” and “it didn’t have to be this way; this process is not worthy of your support or your vote.”
Finally, at 3:53 p.m., Lummis wrote, “The sham bill having passed 21-16, now long night begins: instructions to House Rules Committee.'”
Over the past year, politicians have taken to Twitter to voice their opinions on a wide array of topics, political and personal. But today might mark the first time a reconciliation bill markup has been tweeted in real time.
Lummis had a chance to speak at the CSPAN-televised hearing. Afterward, she posted a link to her comments.