READ THE BILL

Americans are fed up with Congress, and one of the things they’re most fed up with is the practice of rushing massive bills to a vote without reading them or giving the American people time to read them.  H.Res.554, authored by Reps. John Culberson (R-TX) and Brian Baird (D-WA), would require all bills to be posted online for at least 72 hours before they are brought to a vote on the House floor.  CLICK HERE TO SEE WHICH MEMBERS HAVE SIGNED THE DISCHARGE PETITION TO FORCE A VOTE ON H. RES. 554.

 

BAN “PHANTOM AMENDMENTS”

H. Res. 835, authored by Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS), would require all congressional committees to post the text of bills and amendments online within 24 hours after they are adopted.  This reform would help to ban “phantom amendments” from being added to bills secretly by the majority without a vote after bills pass at the committee level.  During recent Senate action, approximately 75 changes were made to the health care bill by Democratic committee leaders in secret, after the bill was approved by the committee.

 

SHOW THE VOTES

The American people deserve to know how their elected representatives vote in committee on the important issues of the day.  Congressional committees are not currently required to post Members’ committee voting records online.  This must change.  H. Res.  874, authored by Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA), would require committees to post Members’ votes online within 48 hours after they are cast.

 

 

OPEN HEALTH CARE NEGOTIATIONS TO THE PUBLIC

President Obama promised that congressional negotiations on the health care legislation would be open to the public, transparent, and televised on C-SPAN.  But the health care negotiations taking place today are being held behind closed doors, off-limits to the press and public.  H. Res. 847, authored by Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and the accompanying discharge petition, would require these negotiations to be open to the public.

 

 

BRING SUNLIGHT TO THE RULES COMMITTEE

The powerful, secretive House Rules Committee is one of the only remaining congressional panels that still does its work behind closed doors. It’s also the panel that makes decisions about which bills and amendments come to a vote, and which do not.  H.R. Res. 869, introduced by Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA), would require cameras to be installed in the Rules Committee, bringing much-needed sunlight to the powerful panel.