Senator Admits: Health Care is too Confusing, Won't Read the Bill

Monday, October 5, 2009 9:46 AM by Mattie Duppler

On Friday, CNSnews ran a story about Senator Carper, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, who blatantly admitted that he would not be reading the committee's health care reform bill. Senate Finance is unique in that it does not actually hold hearings on the legislative language of a bill - rather, it uses "conceptual" language which is easier to read. Sen. Carper defended his stance by pointing to the "confusing" and "arcane" nature of legislative language, stating that bills in their actual form are almost impossible to understand. Of course, the difference between "conceptual" and actual language can be quite stark and the nature of the bill can change significantly in its translation from one form to the other.

Moreover, the Senator's unwillingness to read a bill he likens to "gibberish" begs the question - shouldn't Senators be crafting legislation they can understand? During hearings on amendments, the committee defeated an amendment offered by Sen. Jim Bunning that would have required the actual legislative language to be available for 72 hours before a vote on the bill could take place. After Sen. Carper's statements, it is perhaps not suprising, though all the more disconcerting, that such a swift blow to transparency was dealt.

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