Republicans leapt at the news that HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has been asking industry and community groups to donate to Enroll America, an outside organization created to promote the health law and encourage people to enroll in its new coverage options.

HHS spokesman Jason Young said the fundraising push serves the department’s basic goals.

“Part of our mission is to help uninsured Americans take advantage of new affordable, high quality insurance options that are coming, thanks to the health law,” he said. “For the last several months the Secretary has been working with a full range of stakeholders who share in the mission of getting Americans the help they need and deserve.”

Young said Sebelius has not made any fundraising requests to “entities regulated by HHS.”