JUST DO IT!

Representative Slaughter

New Bill Would Force Congress To Stay In Washington Until It Passes A Budget

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/20/no-budget-no-vacation_n_4310770.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

This is the best law to be introduced in five years.  We need a way to end the stalemate and a way to hold Congress accountable for their lack of inaction.  The passage of this bill is unlikely but I give a big thumbs up to Representative Slaughter for proposing it.  This should have been introduced before the August recess or vacation.  WE NEED A BUDGET!  GET 'ER DONE!

Our legislative branch is good at stalling, ignoring, and rhetoric.  I seek to stay neutral in this area for I am disgusted with both Republican and Democratic Leaderships.  Our Congress appears to care more about the power struggle of who has the most members and winning the next election than actually tackling the problems our country faces.  We all know this for it is nothing new.  

Members of the Senate are employees of the US Senate.  Members of the House of Representatives are employees of the House of Representatives. (See Article 1, Section 6 of the Constitution).  They are not required to vote  the majority views held in their district. 

The Congress shall have

•  Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and
• To pay the Debts
• To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;
• To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
• No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.
• No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.
• To coin money and regulate its value;
• Provide for punishment for counterfeiting;
•  provide for the common Defence
• declare war, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
• To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
• To provide and maintain a Navy;
• To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
• To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
• To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
• combat piracies and felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
•  and general Welfare of the United States; 
• establish post offices and roads,
• promote progress of science by issuing patents, 
• create federal courts inferior to the Supreme Court
• To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States
• to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings
• No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.
• The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it
• No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.
• The approval of both chambers is required to pass any legislation, which then may only become law by being signed by the President (or, if the President vetoes the bill, both houses of Congress then re-pass the bill, but by a two-thirds majority of each chamber, in which case the bill becomes law without the President's signature)
• In addition, the Senate must approve approve (give "advice and consent" to) many important Presidential appointments, including cabinet officers, federal judges (including nominees to the Supreme Court), department secretaries (heads of federal executive branch departments), U.S. military and naval officers, and ambassadors to foreign countries. In addition, the House of Representatives originates all legislative bills for raising revenue.
• The powers of Congress are limited to those enumerated in the Constitution; all other powers are reserved to the states and the people.
• Members of the House and Senate are elected by first-past-the-post voting in every state except Louisiana, California and Washington, which have runoffs. This means they are elected by plurality of votes not necessarily majority of votes.

Being a member of the United States House of Representatives or the United States Senate is not an easy task.  Much more as time passes and technology changes, attitudes change, and the world stays in constant turmoil.  I am thankful for men and women who seek the office and who seek to do what is right.  Yet, we have reached a stalemate where important legislation is ignored by one House or the other.  Laying aside all the rhetoric and the bullying, the pushing, the shoving, and the near "doomsday" last minute agreements, we still have a great form of government.

Maybe its time we change some things in how the government operates.  Maybe we need to review the cost or salaries of those who serve us.  Maybe its time we hold more meetings with the use of technology and save time with electronic voting.  Maybe it is time our government moves into the 21st century before we enter the next century. 

What do you think?

Roy

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