Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will not testify at a congressional hearing investigating glitches in the rollout of Obamacare's $800 million website but will instead attend a gala at the Kennedy presidential library in Boston.
CNN reported the scheduling conflict while reporting a story that the Obamacare website would go offline this weekend for maintenance.
The gala at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston Wednesday night will honor progress made in helping individuals with mental illness.
"She'll be in Boston at a gala but unable to testify on the Obamacare rollout in Washington the next day," the CNN anchor said.
Fox News reports that pressure is mounting on Sebelius to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on the numerous problems plaguing the system since its Oct. 1 launch.
The Associated Press reports that less than 500,000 people have been able to register on the site, although the actual number of those able to obtain insurance is still unknown.
Registration has been hampered by the system's failure to log accurate information, and the website repeatedly crashes because it wasn't designed to handle heavy traffic loads.
Republican Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan, the panel's chairman, criticized Sebelius for refusing to appear, and questioned her scheduling priorities including an appearance last week on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” to promote the flawed website.
"Secretary Sebelius had time for Jon Stewart, and we expect her to have time for Congress," Upton said.
Related:
Obama to Advisers: No Excuses for Rocky Obamacare Rollout
GOP Girds Loins for Testy Obamacare Hearings
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