Conyers & Top Democrats Call for End to House GOP’s Abuse of Power, Demand Vote to Condemn Issa’s Actions

(WASHINGTON) – Today, House Democrats stood in solidarity on the House Floor and filed a privileged resolution that condemns the actions of Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa for violating House Rules during yesterday’s hearing on the IRS when he tried to silence Ranking Member Elijah E. Cummings by deliberately cutting off his microphone.

The resolution, offered by Rep. Marcia Fudge, states: “The House of Representatives strongly condemns the offensive and disrespectful manner in which Chairman Darrell E. Issa conducted the hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on March 5, 2014, during which he turned off the microphones of the Ranking Member while he was speaking and adjourned the hearing without a recorded vote or a unanimous consent agreement.”

Today, for the first time, the top Democrats on several Committees came together to call on House Republicans to stop wasting taxpayer money and resources obstructing the legislative process and shutting out Democrats for political gain, and instead, focus on the priorities of Americans. Participants included the top Democrats on five House Committees, Reps. Cummings (D-MD), John Conyers (D-MI), Sandy Levin (D-MI), Louise Slaughter (D-NY), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), the Ranking Members of the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Judiciary, Ways and Means, Rules, and the Budget respectively.

Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), Ranking Member on House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: “I understand that House Republicans have already called it quits in terms of legislating any more this year, but the result is that all they have left are these reckless and abusive investigations.  This is a huge waste of taxpayer resources, and it does absolutely nothing for the American people.  We need to do the work that the American people elected us to do.”

Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), Ranking Member on House Committee on the Judiciary: “In recent months, the Majority’s agenda has been disheartening and their leadership wanting. The public business of the Judiciary Committee has been bogged down by partisan messaging bills - with no chance of passage - simply to pander to their conservative base. The situation is shameful. Yet, it does not have to be like this; I remember a time - not too long ago - where meaningful, bipartisan reform was considered, thoughtful legislation was debated, and the Committee process worked. At some point we need to lay down the legislative armor and do something simply because it’s the right thing to do.”

Congressman Sandy Levin (D-Mich.), Ranking Member on House Committee on Ways and Means:“House Republicans are desperate to keep their baseless allegations alive, even if it means silencing the truth by turning off microphones. The endless Republican drive to appeal to the Tea Party and taint the White House has pushed them to new extremes.”

Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member on House Committee on Rules: “We have reached the boiling point. What has happened in this place week after week in the House of Representatives is nothing short of legislative malpractice. Think about the money that is being wasted here week after week to make a political statement—it’s  costing us not just in terms of infrastructure, education, and healthcare, but think about how it’s costing us our self-respect and the way we look to the rest of the world.”

Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ranking Member on House Committee on the Budget: “Last fall, by changing the rules to keep the government shutdown, Republicans suspended democracy in the full House of Representatives. What we saw yesterday was democracy being suspended in House committees,” said Congressman Chris Van Hollen. “As a result of the abuse of power we saw from Chairman Issa, we’re not able to focus on the things that are important to the American people – creating more jobs and expanding opportunity to more people.” 

Yesterday, every Democratic Member of Oversight Committee sent a letter to Chairman Issa calling on him to apologize immediately for denying Ranking Member Cummings his right under House Rules to speak at the IRS hearing.

Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. alongside his colleagues - Representatives Cummings, Slaughter, and Van Hollen - at a press conference discussing House Republican offenses.

Issa Letter on IRS Hearing Shutdown March 5, 2014

Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

My Message To Congress

Naturally, as I reside in Michigan, I enjoy using the state as my working model.

If there are any other states that would like to borrow this for its own purposes of ending Medicaid fraud in child welfare, please, be my guest and if there is any need for assistance, feel free to contact me.

What I enjoyed the most about putting this together was the fact that I knew there were powers that be, fuming under the collars.  Fuming for the simple fact that there is nothing they can do to me because they know I am right and I have valid, pending claims.

Then, I just tickle myself thinking of all the elected officials...

who like to make everyone get in touch with their inner child and not think about the jacked up child welfare system

who would read this and have absolutely no clue of what Medicaid fraud is because they are too busy asking for more Medicaid funds and,

who are too scared to bite the kingmaker hand that feed them.

But, most of all, I just have a hearty guffaw watching Michigan Bar Association community fashion model its lack of legal acumen down the runway of Medicaid fraud in child welfare in fear of loosing license to practice law.  (how's that for a visual)


2010 MICHIGAN SENATE ALTERNATIVE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 32.5

A concurrent resolution to memorialize the President, the Congress, and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to enhance provisions of the final version of federal health care reform legislation that would reinstate Medicaid regulations and mandate the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit to aggressively prosecute and recover funds of Medicaid Fraud in Child Welfare;

Whereas, Michigan, along with the other States, has a horribly ineffective Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of Attorney General and does absolutely nothing in contractual debarment, license revocation, or any other form of prosecution of Medicaid fraud in child welfare, regulation would mandate the Unit to aggressively prosecute and recover federal and state funds to reduce the budget deficit;

Whereas, the national Federal Funding Percentage (FFP) of Medicaid is 85%, Michigan is currently close to being at the bottom of the barrel at 65.79%, [enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP)76.05%] lifting the moritoria on Medicaid regulation would place Michigan in a position of compliance, resulting in an increase in the FFP;

Whereas, the Auditor General has documented, through limited information, over $1 billion in known and likely know questionable costs in child welfare services last year, mandating Medicaid regulation would prevent the $1 billion to $1.5 billion shortfall in General Fund dollars for fiscal year 2011;

Whereas, the State Medicaid Director continues to implement policies to authorize payment of fraudulent claims in child welfare, federally mandated Medicaid regulation would allow more individuals to become eligible for Medicaid coverage and prevent the children from entering the foster care system as many will be able to access medical resource; and,

Whereas, the practice of double-billing, treble-billing, phantom-billing, kiddy kickbacks, and defalcation will be ameliorated by the conformation to basic standards of ethics and administration through innovative policies of accountability and transparency by Michigan and the other States; now, therefore be it

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That we memorialize the President, the Congress, and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to provide that federal health care reforms, including the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590) and the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962), impose regulatory mandates on Michigan and other states, whether through expanded Medicaid requirements or other mandates to end Medicaid fraud; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Office of the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the members of the Michigan congressional delegation, and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Whether it be parody or your basic public humiliation, I really do not care as long as the job gets done.

STOP PLAYING GAMES, MICHIGAN AND STOP MEDICAID FRAUD