Nancy Pelosi told us they would have to pass the bill before we would know what was in the bill... true to her word, we are now being told about certain provisions as they come to light, including one that exempts certain Congressional staff. Staffers who work for committees or leadership offices, rather than specific representatives, (Nancy Pelosi has two staffs, one for her role as Speaker, and one for her role as a representative form Ca.) are specifically exempt from the mandates imposed by health care reform to enroll in government provided health care reform plans.
This loophole for leadership staffers could impact thousands of Hill employees. There are 16 active leadership offices in the House and 26 in the Senate, according to the government transparency website LegiStorm. Some are small, with just a few employees. Others are much larger; Speaker Nancy Pelosi paid 54 employees a total of $1.1M in the last quarter of '09, while House Min. Leader John Boehner paid his 26 staffers a total of $721K in the same quarter. (Credit to Mark Whittington)
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