(Original Signature of Member)
111TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION H. RES. ll
Pledging not to assemble on or between the dates of November 2, 2010
and January 3, 2011, except in the case of an unforeseen, sudden
emergency requiring immediate action from Congress.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. PRICE of Georgia submitted the following resolution; which was referred
to the Committee on _________________
RESOLUTION
Pledging not to assemble on or between the dates of November 2, 2010 and January 3, 2011, except in the case
of an unforeseen, sudden emergency requiring immediate action from Congress.
Whereas the 111th Congress has failed in its promise to be
the most open Congress in history, but has instead lost
the public’s trust by engaging in unprecedented political
procedures to advance a partisan agenda;
Whereas on January 18, 2006, House Minority Leader
Nancy Pelosi stated in prepared remarks, ‘‘Democrats
are leading the effort to turn the most closed, corrupt
Congress in history into the most open and honest Congress in history.’’;
Whereas on November 7, 2006, House Minority Leader
Nancy Pelosi stated, ‘‘The American people voted to restore integrity and honesty in Washington, D.C., and the
Democrats intend to lead the most honest, most open,
and most ethical Congress in history.’’;
Whereas on November 16, 2006, incoming House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi stated, ‘‘This leadership team will create
the most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress
in history.’’;
Whereas on December 6, 2006, incoming House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi stated, ‘‘We promised the American people
that we would have the most honest and open Government and we will.’’;
Whereas incoming Majority Whip Clyburn stated on December 8, 2006 that, ‘‘Democrats will exercise better leadership in the new Congress and work to raise the standard
of ethics in this body’’;
Whereas Speaker Pelosi spoke of individual Member’s ethics
on January 31, 2007 when she stated, ‘‘These strong
[ethics] rules are significant steps toward honest leadership; enforcing these rules is critical to ensuring every
Member of Congress lives up to the highest ethical standard’’;
Whereas on January 5, 2010, while at a press conference
during the health care debate, Speaker Pelosi stated,
‘‘There has never been a more open process for any legislation’’;
Whereas this statement was reiterated by the Speaker while
at a press conference on February 26, 2010, when a reporter prefaced a question about Rangel by noting that
Speaker Pelosi had promised to run the ‘‘most ethical
and honest Congress in history’’ she interrupted him to
say: ‘‘And we are.’’;
Whereas more bills were considered under closed rules, 64
total, in the 110th Congress under Democrat control,
than in the previous Congress, 49, under Republican control;
Whereas fewer bills were considered under open rules, 10
total, in the 110th Congress under Democrat control,
than in the previous Congress, 22, under Republican control;
Whereas zero bills have been considered so far in the 111th
Congress under an open rule;
Whereas 26 bills have been considered so far in the 111th
Congress under a closed rule, under Democrat control;
Whereas this Congress is the highest spending Congress in
United States history;
Whereas this Congress has presided over the two highest
budget deficits in United States history at a time when
the public debt is higher than at any other time in history;
Whereas this Congress began its mortgage of the Nation’s future with a ‘‘stimulus’’ package costing $1.1 trillion that
failed to lower unemployment, spur economic growth, or
actually address the needs of struggling American business and families;
Whereas this Congress continued its free-flowing spending
with an increase of $72.4 billion in nonemergency discretionary spending in fiscal year 2009 to reach a total
spending level of $1.01 trillion for the first time in
United States history;
Whereas this Congress approved a budget resolution in 2009
that proposed the six largest nominal deficits in American history and included tax increases of $423 billion
during a period of sustained high unemployment;
Whereas this Congress disregarded the needs and opinions of
everyday Americans by passing a national energy tax bill
that would increase costs on nearly every aspect of American lives by up to $3,000 per year, eliminate millions of
jobs, reduce workers’ income, and devastate economic
growth;
Whereas this Congress disregarded the needs and opinions of
everyday Americans by passing a massive Government
takeover of health care that will force millions of Americans from their health insurance plans, increase premiums and costs for individuals and employers, raise
taxes by $569.2 billion, and fund abortions—at a cost of
$2.64 trillion over the first ten years of full implementation;
Whereas this Congress nationalized the student loan industry
with a potential cost of 30,000 private sector jobs and
$50.1 billion over ten years;
Whereas this Congress passed the DISCLOSE Act in violation of the first amendment, hindering citizens associations’ and corporations’ free speech while leaving all
unions exempt from many of the new requirements, in
order to try and influence the outcome of 2010 elections;
Whereas in spite of House Budget Committee Chairman’s
2006 statement that ‘‘if you can’t budget, you can’t govern’’, the Democrat leadership has failed to introduce a
budget resolution in 2010 as mandated by law, but instead self-executed a ‘‘deeming resolution’’ that increases
nonemergency discretionary spending in fiscal year 2011
by $30 billion to $1.121 trillion, setting another new
record for the highest level in United States history;
Whereas this Congress has failed Main Street through passage of a financial system takeover that fails to end the
moral hazard of too-big-to-fail, does not address the
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac behemoths, and creates numerous new boards, councils, and positions with unconstitutionally broad authorities that will interfere with the
creation of wealth and jobs;
Whereas this Congress has wasted taxpayer funds on an unnecessary and unconstitutional auto industry bailout, a
‘‘cash for clunkers’’ program, a home remodification program (‘‘cash for caulkers’’), and countless other pork
barrel projects while allowing the public debt to reach its
highest level in United States history;
Whereas Democrats have recently insinuated that significant
legislative matters would deliberately not be addressed
during the 111th Congress until after the midterm elections in November 2010;
Whereas the New York Times reported on June 19, 2010
that, ‘‘For all the focus on the historic federal rescue of
the banking industry, it is the government’s decision to
seize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in September 2008
that is likely to cost taxpayers the most money. ... Republicans want to sever ties with Fannie and Freddie once
the crisis abates. The Obama administration and Congressional Democrats have insisted on postponing the argument until after the midterm elections.’’;
Whereas the Washington Times reported on June 22, 2010
that House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer stated, ‘‘a
budget, which sets out binding one-year targets and a
multiyear plan, is useless this year because Congress has
shunted key questions about deficits to the independent
debt commission created by President Obama, which is
due to report back at the end of this year.’’;
Whereas the Hill reported on June 24, 2010 that Senator
Tom Harkin, a Democrat from Iowa, suggested that
Democrats ‘‘might attempt to move ‘card-check’ legislation this year, perhaps during a lame-duck session. ... ‘A
lot of things can happen in a lame-duck session, too,’ he
said in reference to EFCA.’’;
Whereas the New York Times published an article on June
28, 2010 titled ‘‘Lame-Duck Session Emerges as Possibility for Climate Bill Conference’’ that declares ‘‘many
expect the final energy or climate bill to be worked out
during the lame-duck session between the November election and the start of the new Congress in January.’’;
Whereas the Hill reported on July 1, 2010 that ‘‘Democratic
leaders are likely to punt the task of renewing Bush-era
tax cuts until after the election. Voters in November’s
midterms will thus be left without a clear idea of their
future tax rates when they go to the polls.’’;
Whereas the Wall Street Journal reported on July 13, 2010
that, ‘‘there have been signs in recent weeks that party
leaders are planning an ambitious, lame-duck session to
muscle through bills in December they don’t want to defend before November. Retiring or defeated members of
Congress would then be able to vote for sweeping legislation without any fear of voter retaliation.’’;
Whereas the Hill reported on July 27, 2010 that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, at the recent Netroots
Nation conference of liberal bloggers, in reference to
Democrats’ unfinished priorities, ‘‘We’re going to have to
have a lame duck session, so we’re not giving up.’’;
Whereas the Hill reported in the same piece on July 27,
2010 that the lame duck session will include priorities
such as ‘‘comprehensive immigration reform, climate
change legislation and a whole host of other issues’’;
Whereas the Declaration of Independence notes that governments ‘‘[derive] their just powers from the consent of the
governed’’;
Whereas the American people have expressed their loss of
confidence through self-organized and self-funded taxpayer marches on Washington, at countless ‘‘tea party’’
events, at town halls and speeches, and with numerous
letters, emails, and phone calls to their elected representatives;
Whereas a reconvening of Congress between the regularly
scheduled Federal election in November and the start of
the next session of Congress is known as a ‘‘lame-duck
session of Congress’’;
Whereas the Democrat majority has all-but-announced plans
to use any ‘‘lame-duck Congress’’ to advance currently
unattainable, partisan policies that are widely unpopular
with the American people or that further increase the national debt against the will of most Americans;
Whereas any such action would be a repudiation of the American people’s expressed will and would not comport with
the Democrats’ public statements promising transparency
and accountability; and
Whereas under the leadership of Speaker Pelosi and the
Democrat majority, and largely due to the current trends
of Government expansion and freedom retrenchment, the
American people have lost confidence with their elected
officials, and that faith must be restored: Now, therefore
be it
1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
2 (1) reaffirms the principle expressed in the
3 Declaration of Independence that governments ‘‘[de
4 rive] their just powers from the consent of the gov
5 erned’’;
6 (2) recognizes the fundamental importance of
7 trust existing between the American people and their
8 elected officials;
9 (3) confirms that adhering to the will of the
10 people is imperative to upholding public trust;
11 (4) states that the American people deserve to
12 know where their current elected officials stand on
13 key legislative issues before Election Day;
14 (5) states that delaying controversial, unpopular
15 votes until after the election gives false impressions
16 to voters and deliberately hides the true intentions
17 of the majority, while denying voters the ability to
18 make fully informed choices on Election Day; and
19 (6) pledges not to assemble on or between the
20 dates of November 2, 2010 and January 3, 2011,
1 except in the case of an unforeseen, sudden emer
2 gency requiring immediate action from Congress.
The Dem's and their Leaders have ignored the will of the majority of America for the last 18 months.
The "consent of the governed" has been rejected.
While some positioned themselves for sweetheart deals, others were bribed, and still others pretended to balk at moving to the left (when their blue-dog districts protested) so as not to upset their own chances of re-elections. Yet in the end they all folded to corruption and deceit while blaming the Republicans for obstruction. The time consuming positioning of their own self-interests and bartering with the Chicago machine came before the best interests of the Country.
Come November there is expected to be a reckoning removing the people who have traded our trust in for slavery to government, corralled freedoms, dwindling liberties, and personal abuse of power.
Already they speak of, and plan for, a Lame Duck Succession - ignoring those who remove their governing power in November - and in a last ditch effort to further shove progressive policy down our throats these post rejected Dem's are conspiring to cast votes in December to further the Obama's socialist goals after the November elections.
Senator Harry Reid(D) has already admitted this manipulation may be employed to bypass further the will of the peoples. "We're going to have to have a lame duck session, so we're not giving up."
Mr. Price's intentions with this Bill are great. But other than exposing what the Dem's have planned should they lose the House and/or Senate - I'd bet a 6 pak that they aren't going to make this pledge.
December looks to be as important as November for us.
On Tuesday, August 10, the U.S. House will vote on this legislation that would stop a Lame Duck session by prohibiting Congress from meeting between November 2 and January 3.
Please click here and join over 70,000 Americans who have sent a letter to their member of Congress asking them to support Rep. Price's No Lame Duck resolution.
update:
Human Events: Democrats Vote Down Ban on Lame Duck Session of Congress
by Connie Hair
08/10/2010
...the resolution was 'tabled'...(Mike Simpson (R) of Idaho was the only Republican to Vote with the democrats to preserve a Lame Duck Option...)
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