Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(a)(1) of rule IX, I hereby notify the House of my intention to offer a resolution as a question of the privileges of the House. The form of my resolution is as follows: Resolution Pledging not to assemble…
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(a)(1) of rule IX, I hereby notify the House of my intention to offer a resolution as a question of the privileges of the House.
The form of my resolution is as follows:
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
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) reaffirms the principle expressed in the Declaration of
Independence that governments ``[derive] their just powers
from the consent of the governed'';
(2) recognizes the fundamental importance of trust existing
between the American people and their elected officials;
(3) confirms that adhering to the will of the people is
imperative to upholding public trust;
(4) states that the American people deserve to know where
their current elected officials stand on key legislative
issues before Election Day;
(5) states that delaying controversial, unpopular votes
until after the election gives false impressions to voters
and deliberately hides the true intentions of the majority,
while denying voters the ability to make fully informed
choices on Election Day; and
(6) pledges 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.