Friday, July 10, 2009

"Read The Bills Act" (RTBA)

The "Read The Bills Act" (RTBA) is exactly what you would think it is. After Hoyer's comments (Berman Post: Hoyer - "If Every Member Pledged to Not Vote For it if They Hadn’t Read it in Its Entirety, I Think we Would Have Very Few Votes"), though he is certainly far from the only 'offender', this may get some additional support.

http://www.downsizedc.org/page/read_the_laws

"
“No LEGISLATION without representation.”

We hold this truth to be self-evident, that those in Congress who vote on legislation they have not read, have not represented their constituents. They have misrepresented them.

And since Congress has repeatedly committed “legislation without representation,” strong measures to prohibit these Congressional misrepresentations are both justified and required.

To this end we have created the “Read the Bills Act (RTBA).” RTBA requires that . . .

* Each bill, and every amendment, must be read in its entirety before a quorum in both the House and Senate.

* Every member of the House and Senate must sign a sworn affidavit, under penalty of perjury, that he or she has attentively either personally read, or heard read, the complete bill to be voted on.

* Every old law coming up for renewal under the sunset provisions must also be read according to the same rules that apply to new bills.

* Every bill to be voted on must be published on the Internet at least 7 days before a vote, and Congress must give public notice of the date when a vote will be held on that bill.

* Passage of a bill that does not abide by these provisions will render the measure null and void, and establish grounds for the law to be challenged in court.

* Congress cannot waive these requirements.
"

It is similar to requests made at Berman Post: ReadTheBill.org.

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