Nancy Pelosi: ‘We Have a Right to Know What’s in Health Care Bill Before It Passes’

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif) sent a letter Tuesday to Speaker Paul Ryan (R.-Wis.) demanding to know the contents of his American Health Care Act, or RyanCare, before it passes the House–a rich hark back to what she said when Congress was considering Obamacare seven years ago.

“We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it,” is what Pelosi said March 9, 2010 to the National Association of Counties.

Tuesday, Pelosi wrote: “Members must not be asked to vote on this legislation before the CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation have answered the following questions about your legislation in 2018 and 2019, over the 10-year budget window, and in the decade after: How will this bill measure up to the Affordable Care Act and current Medicaid law on coverage, quality, and cost?  And how will it impact Medicare solvency?”

Pelosi said Ryan should appreciate her concerns.

“Mr. Speaker, as a former Chair of both the Committee on Ways and Means and the Budget, you understand the importance of having the numbers as well as anyone,” she wrote.

“The American people and Members have a right to know the full impact of this legislation before any vote in Committee or by the whole House,” she wrote. “These are critical questions and I hope that Republicans will honor their responsibility to the American people both before the Committees vote and before the final bill goes to the House floor.”

What a difference seven years makes.