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Rep. Henry Waxman (D., Calif.) blamed the private contractors retained by HHS to build and administer healthcare.gov for the website’s extensive glitches Tuesday on MSNBC.
Waxman said Secretary of Health & Human Services Kathleen Sebelius was not aware of all of the “technicalities” pertaining to the Obamacare website and thus should not be held responsible for its failure.
“She’s done a terrific job,” Waxman said, “I have a great deal of confidence in her.”
The private sector, according to Waxman, failed to live up to their contractual obligations “even with all of the money they got.”
The California congressman suggested that if “anyone’s head should roll, it should be the contractors who didn’t live up to their contractual responsibilities”:
KIRSTEN WELKER: Congressman, just very quickly, yes or no, should Secretary Sebelius keep her job?
HENRY WAXMAN: Absolutely. There’s no reason for her not to continue on as secretary. She’s done a terrific job. I have a great deal of confidence in her. She doesn’t know about all technicalities. That was contracted out to the private sector, the private sector with all the money they got couldn’t get it. If anybody’s head should roll, it should be the contractors who didn’t live up to their contractual responsibilities.
However, Waxman failed to mention that HHS selected CGI Federal to produce healthcare.gov and is fully responsible for ensuring the competency of their contractors.
Waxman’s inept attempt to deflect blame from Sebelius comes amid increasing calls for the HHS secretary to resign:
Full interview:
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