Questions. Thank you. Chairman issa, Ranking Members cummings, members of the committee, thank you for an opportunity to be here. Cms strives to be as responsive as possible. I understand that we have already provided over 140,000 pages of documents to this committee. Transparency is important and thats why im pleased to be here today and have the opportunity to answer your questions. We will continue to produce documents. In the almost five years that ive had the privilege to work at cms, my focus has been on how we can best serve our beneficiaries, including seniors on medicare, adults and children on medicaid and chip andenrolli marketplace. I work ro to reduce cost, improve quality in ways that make a difference. Were making real and important progress. As of august 15th this year, we have 7. 3 million americans enrolled in the Health Insurance marketplace coverage. These are individuals who have paid their premiums. We are encouraged by the numbers of consumers who have paid their
Of the team to make those decision, its very difficult as a thirdparty partner participant to make that kind of assessment without the actual knowledge and data. As a former businessman, i would say that a site that couldnt accommodate a few hundred people simultaneously signing on and people waiting for weeks or months, security wasnt the reason that that should not have launched, but i appreciate that youre here on security today. The gentlelady from new york, a place where i. T. Comes first for many of her constituents is recognized for five minutes. Thats true, true of the west coast, too. I just want to note that this is the committees 29th hearing on the Affordable Care act and the sixth on the website. Oh, come on, please. I want to focus on some very positive things. And thats the cost growth is slowing to historic lows and that was one of the huge challenges that we confronted k the whole time that ive been in congress, is the just the whopping cost in health care in our coun
Record to reflect the views of mr. Van hollen earlier about not having amendments where we can fully discuss in the house the twoyear funding for the syrian rebel army, and also to make sure that we do not have combat troops actively engaged in iraq. But, mr. Speaker, i am rising right now to strongly state my deep disappointment in a version of the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange act that was included in the National Defense authorization. Heres the National Defense authorization bill, and in here are some land bills. Now, one of the land bills in particular that have been included in here is extremely controversial and it is nongermane and will lead to the destruction of sacred sites for two major tribal nations in our country. And when it does that, when it destroys these sacred sites, it benefits a foreignowned Mining Company with troubling ties to the government of iran. Id like to submit for the record a long list of tribal organizations and other groups who oppose this proposal
Chaplain connery let us pray. Loving chaplain conroy let us pray. We thank you for giving us another day. As we think about the blessings of life, we prayner blessing of peace in our lives and in our world. Our fervent prayer is that people will learn to live together in reconciliation and respect so that the terrors of war and dictatorial abuse will be no more. In a special way we ask your blessing on the people of ukraine. May peace and civility descend on that nation as it finds itself in political turmoil. May your special blessings p be upon the members of this assembly as they return from a week in their home districts. Give them wisdom and charity that they might Work Together for the common good. May all that is done this day in the peoples house be for your greater honor and glory, amen. The speaker the chair has examined the journal of the last days proceedings and announces to the house his approval thereof. Pursuant to clause 1 of rule 1 the journal stands approve the pledg
Minority on this committee defending administration when it failed to deliver relevant documents and object to they find themselves objecting to hearings, witness request and constantly engaged in petty downplaying of what, in fact, are serious problems. The minority today will undoubtedly point out this must be political, that were not here because only 1100 people at a time could get onto a website before it crashed effectively, when 250,000 needed to get on it when it was a law and mandated. Were not here for that reason, they will say, were here because this is political. This committee on a bipartisan basis has offered legislation that if the senate had taken it up and the president had supported and signed it, and it had been implemented in this project, undoubtedly many of the mistakes made we would find would not be made. In fact the lack of Budget Authority for a single point on a project of this sort conducted and overseen by somebody who had a Success Story in similar operat