Filibuster's end imperils Sebelius

Filibuster's end imperils Sebelius

November 25, 2013, 06:00 am

By Elise Viebeck

http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/health-reform-implementation/191235-sebelius-could-be-loser-in-filibuster-fight

Kathleen Sebelius may become the biggest loser in the Senate's approval of filibuster reform.

The Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary has kept her job despite the botched rollout of ObamaCare's insurance exchanges, but it will now be easier for Obama to replace her.

After the Senate’s vote, confirming an executive branch nominee now takes 51 Senate votes because it can't be filibustered. Some think that raises the likelihood Sebelius will soon be a former Cabinet member.

“The president's hands were previously tied,” said John Hudak, a fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, who wrote a piece on the topic Thursday.

“Now, he has more breathing room and he is able to fire whoever he wants at HHS. That's a very, very appealing approach, whether it fixes the problems with ObamaCare's rollout or not.”

The filibuster vote could also make it easier for Obama to fill the healthcare law's controversial cost-cutting board, another big advantage for the president.

The Independent Patient Advisory Board, which has no members yet, is supposed to submit its first proposed cuts in January. Any nominees from Obama require Senate confirmation, which is now an easier prospect.

Before Thursday’s vote, Obama’s nominees needed 60 votes to survive procedural motions. Now they can pass with a simple majority.

Beyond helping Obama, the change could make life easier for some of the Senate Democrats who face tough reelection contests in 2014. The chamber is controlled by 53 Democrats and two Independents who caucus with the majority party.

“Obama now has breathing room among Democrats,” Hudak said.

“He can actually let some of the Democrats who are in tough races off the hook, which has some real electoral implications for those members.”

While not directly involved in building the insurance exchanges, Sebelius has become the public face of their problems since the federal enrollment system debuted on Oct. 1.

The former Kansas governor has been repeatedly spoofed for her efforts to promote HealthCare.gov in spite of its massive technical flaws.

Republicans are livid she testified that ObamaCare's rollout was on track earlier this year.

And she's been increasingly criticized as documents reveal that her team was in chaos during the month of September, when it was trying in vain to make the site work.

Obama has hesitated to fire anyone involved in the troubled rollout, and some think he’s unlikely to replace Sebelius even with the new Senate rules.

“My guess is that he's not in a mood, at this point, to blow up his team at HHS,” said Norman Ornstein, congressional scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute.

He said Obama has given no signal he would have fired Sebelius already but for the difficulty of replacing her. Instead, he said, the president's focus seems to be on fixing the law's problems, and dealing with personnel issues afterwards.

The administration sought to tamp down speculation on Friday, saying that the change in Senate rules will not precipitate any ObamaCare firings.

“The president wants his team focused on improving the Affordable Care Act and on fixing HealthCare.gov,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said Friday.

“The action taken by [Senate Majority] Leader [Harry] Reid is unrelated to the Affordable Care Act.”

Obama has repeatedly expressed support for Sebelius, a fact deputy spokesman Josh Earnest emphasized on Thursday.

“There is an HHS secretary who's serving right now and is working very hard and has the full confidence of the president of the United States,” Earnest told reporters.

Some experts noted that it could be wise for the White House to wait until December to see how the federal enrollment website fares. The administration said HealthCare.gov will work for most people on Nov. 30, but it remains to be seen if officials can hit that deadline.

“Firing someone would have best been used three or four weeks ago, when the problems' scope first became clear,” Cal Jillson, a professor of political science at Southern Methodist University, recently told The Hill. “Still, even now, it could very beneficial to the administration.”

Brookings Institution

Harold H. Koh was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), a director at Human Rights First, the State Department legal adviser for the Barack Obama administration, and his brother is Howard K. Koh.

Note: Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), Human Rights First, and the Committee for Economic Development.

George Soros is the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the American Enterprise Institute, and the Committee for Economic Development.

Howard K. Koh is Harold H. Koh’s brother, and the assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the Barack Obama administration.

Kathleen Sebelius is the secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the Barack Obama administration, and

Dora Hughes was her counselor at HHS.

Dora Hughes was Kathleen Sebelius’s counselor at HHS, and is a senior policy adviser at Sidley Austin LLP.

James D. Zirin is a director at Human Rights First, and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Bradford A. Berenson is an adjunct scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, and a partner at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

R. Eden Martin is counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Newton N. Minow is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Commercial Club of Chicago, Members Directory

http://commercialclubchicago.org/members/e.html

Please note: This link for the members of the Commercial Club of Chicago can no longer be found.

W. James McNerney Jr. is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and the chairman & president & CEO for the Boeing Company.

Barbara G. Fast was a VP at the Boeing Company, and a VP for the CGI Group Inc.

CGI Group Inc. was the Obamacare contractor that developed Healthcare.gov web site.

Donna S. Morea was the EVP for the CGI Group Inc., and a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development.

R. Glenn Hubbard is a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development, and a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.

Edward B. Rust Jr. is a trustee at the American Enterprise Institute, and a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the American Enterprise Institute, the Committee for Economic Development, and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Committee for Economic Development, the Brookings Institution (think tank), and the Children's Defense Fund.

George Soros is the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP, Valerie B. Jarrett’s great uncle, a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank), and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Alan D. Feld is a partner at Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP, and a trustee at the Southern Methodist University.

Kirbyjon H. Caldwell is a trustee at the Southern Methodist University, and was a director at the Children's Defense Fund.

Valerie B. Jarrett is Vernon E. Jordan Jr’s great niece, the senior adviser for the Barack Obama administration, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Cyrus F. Freidheim Jr. is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and an honorary life director at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.   

Christopher B. Galvin is director at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and a trustee at the American Enterprise Institute.

Michelle Obama is a director at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Dora Hughes is a senior policy adviser at Sidley Austin LLP, and was Kathleen Sebelius’s counselor at HHS.

Kathleen Sebelius’s counselor at HHS was Dora Hughes, and is the secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the Barack Obama administration.