On the recordApril 13, 2011
The amendment before us directs the GAO to pontificate on the effectiveness of unspecified prevention, wellness, and public health activities financed by funds under section 4002 of PPACA. As we have pointed out, section 4002 gives the Secretary of HHS complete discretion to spend the slush fund with little limitation. Any program within the Public Health Service Act, regardless of its merit or effectiveness, is eligible for funding under section 4002. How can we ask the GAO to determine the effectiveness of spending dollars when we simply don't know how those dollars will be spent? Is GAO supposed to assume that funds will be used to train doctors or build jungle gyms? Will their report make the assumption that the money will be used to advocate for soda tax increases in States or build signs that direct people to bike paths? All of these activities can be funded through this slush fund. According to the Energy and Commerce minority views, Pitt County, North Carolina, received a grant from the fund that will be in part used to ``place signage within communities to point out public parks, other recreational opportunities, and the availability of bike lanes.'' This amendment underscores the major problem with section 4002.…
