Senate Republicans are calling for an investigation into the Obamacare fundraising efforts by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, reports the Hill.
GOP leaders on the Senate Finance, Health and Homeland Security committees on Thursday asked the Health and Human Service Department's inspector general to probe Sebelius's phone calls to health industry players.
Sebelius has been under fire for the calls, in which she sought funds for Enroll America, a group with close Obama administration ties that was established to educate the public about new coverage options under the Affordable Care Act.
"These activities call into question whether appropriations and ethics laws are being followed," the senators wrote in a letter to Inspector General (IG) Daniel R. Levinson.
Sens. Orrin Hatch (Utah), Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), and Tom Corburn (Okla.) all signed the letter.
HHS has defended Sebelius saying her "outreach was legal and has several precedents in the George W. Bush administration."
Additionally, the House Energy and Commerce and the Ways and Means committees launched investigations into Sebelius "arguing that the secretary should not seek donations from the industries she regulates."