{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-center?ContentRecord_id=30ef7af6-a041-418b-9067-8e407f04b944", "e-Newsletter for the week ending November 8, 2013", "2013-11-12", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friends,\r\nThis week, two of the top Obama Administration officials responsible for the implementation of Obamacare testified before two Senate committees on which I serve.\r\nOn Tuesday, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Director Marilyn Tavenner testified at a hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and on Wednesday, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testified before the Senate Finance Committee.\r\nSebelius is the highest-ranking official in the Obama administration who is responsible for the implementation of Obamacare.\u00a0 Tavenner is the head of CMS, which oversees all health insurance provisions in Obamacare and is the agency responsible for setting up the Obamacare exchanges, including the development of HealthCare.gov where Americans should be able to sign up for coverage.\r\nSince the Obamacare exchanges opened on Oct. 1, 2013, the website has experienced crashes, glitches and many other issues that have prevented Americans from enrolling.\r\nAt both hearings, I expressed that tremendous failures of the Obamacare website are only the tip of the iceberg. This terrible law presents far more problems and challenges, but the biggest ones of all are the premium increases for the people who can least afford them. For example, in rural Georgia, premiums are more than doubling in some cases and health care costs are going through the roof.\r\nAs we are also finding out, millions of Americans and an estimated 400,000 Georgians are losing their current health care plans and in many cases are left with options that they cannot afford.\r\nOn behalf of Georgians, I demanded in these two hearings this week that the administration address these problems. We need to make sure that requiring so much coverage does not have the unintended consequence of running people out of their coverage rather than providing them with the coverage they need and can afford.\r\nAt both hearings, I also questioned officials about the website\u2019s many flaws, including my concerns with the system\u2019s ability to secure Americans\u2019 sensitive personal information.\r\nI cited a June inspector general\u2019s report that found QSSI, the contractor that developed the Obamacare website, guilty of violating security requirements that exposed 6 million Medicare beneficiaries\u2019 private information. I also raised concerns that Obamacare exchange \u201cnavigators,\u201d who help consumers find health care plans and handle personal information, are not required by the federal government to undergo criminal background checks.\r\nI\u2019m not convinced that HHS is doing what it should to protect the sensitive information of the American people. I was very disappointed that Secretary Sebelius only said that she\u2019d take under consideration requiring criminal background checks for those who will be handling Americans\u2019 private information in the Obamacare exchanges\u2014that should be a minimum requirement.\r\nThere are many flawed decisions that have been made by HHS and CMS in the rollout of Obamacare, and the website is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many, many problems yet to be seen.\r\nClick here to watch a short video clip of me questioning CMS Director Tavenner, and here to watch a clip of my exchange with Sec. Sebelius.\r\nI also appeared on Fox News following the Finance Committee hearing. To view a video clip of the interview,\u00a0click here.\r\nI have voted to defund, dismantle or repeal Obamacare almost 60 times, and I continue to support its full repeal. I am a co-sponsor of dozens of legislative proposals that would repeal the law in full or provisions in the law, including both the\u00a0Obamacare Repeal Act,\u00a0S.177, and, more recently, the\u00a0Defund Obamacare Act,\u00a0S.1292. I have also sent a letter to President Obama urging him to permanently delay the implementation of Obamacare for all Americans.\u00a0\r\nWhat\u2019s on Tap?\r\nThe Senate is not in session on Monday in Observance of Veterans\u2019 Day. Without the sacrifice and courage of our veterans, there would be no United States of America. I hope that you will join me honoring these men and women who have sacrificed greatly for our freedoms on Veterans Day and every day.\r\nOn Tuesday, the Senate is scheduled to vote on cloture on the nomination of Cornelia T. L. Pillard, of the District of Columbia, to be United States District Court Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit. The Senate also is expected to vote on cloture on the motion to proceed to a drug compounding bill, H.R.3204, the Drug Quality and Security Act. \r\nSincerely,\r\nJohnny Isakson", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-center?ContentRecord_id=30ef7af6-a041-418b-9067-8e407f04b944"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3051200658082962, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}