Senate GOP Forms Task Forces on Health Care Reform, Other Issues
Senate Republicans recently have begun to form task forces and working groups on health care reform and other issues that seek to develop effective talking points and alternatives to proposals announced by President Obama, Roll Call reports.
According to Roll Call, at the "heart of the Senate Republicans' strategy is an acknowledgement that Obama has a strong hand to play in the 111th Congress and that they must choose their fights wisely," but they also believe that "they have the opportunities ... to influence debate and advance their initiatives."
As part of the strategy, Senate Republicans earlier this year established a task force on health care reform led by Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee ranking member Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Senate Finance Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Senate Budget Committee ranking member Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).
"While the panel will likely develop GOP policy alternatives, its primary goal is to educate Republicans on the issues likely to define the debate," according to Roll Call.
One Senate Republican leadership aide said that the task force seeks to "raise everybody's education levels so that when we start talking" about health care reform, adding that "(we) have five, 10 or more Senators that are well-versed" on the issue (Stanton, Roll Call, 3/3).
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