HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius subpoenaed for promoting health reform

Although House Republicans are slowly accepting health reform as law of the land, that didn't stop them from issuing a subpoena to U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for allegedly promoting the legislation improperly, the Los Angeles Times reported.

On Wednesday, Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee delivered on their threat to subpoena Sebelius as they investigate the alleged PR campaign that touted the benefits of Affordable Care Act.

In October, the Republican leaders threatened to subpoena HHS three times in two weeks for information about how the agency is using taxpayer dollars to promote the health reform law in what it called a "big guerilla campaign splash."

"This administration has repeatedly stonewalled Congress and refused to allow a public review of how these tax dollars were spent," committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.), who issued the subpoena, said Wednesday in a statement.

"The lack of response leads me to believe that this administration is either unwilling to disclose why they are using taxpayer dollars to market their unpopular law or are unable to keep track of how those taxpayer dollars are being spent," he added.

The administration, along with Congressional Democrats, maintains the PR campaign aims to educate the public about the reform law, according to the LA Times.

This subpoena follows another sent last month by House Republicans to Sebelius, which asked for documents about funding for a Medicare Advantage demonstration project, the article noted.

Sebelius also came under fire in September for violating the Hatch Act when she called for President Obama's re-election during her keynote speech at a Human Rights Campaign Gala.

For more:
- here's the Los Angeles Times article
- read the statement