November 16, 2010
The Honorable Rob Bishop
The Honorable Doc Hastings
US House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Representatives Bishop and Hastings:
The American people have spoken and we must heed their calls and reform the way that the House of Representatives does business.
In listening to many of my constituents, others in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and around the nation, I have prepared a list of suggestions which I request be taken into consideration when drafting the rules for the 112th Congress in the House. I believe we all need to take steps to rein in our debt and make absolutely sure that we know the impact our laws will have on our nation, but we cannot do this without drastic changes. I have listed these reforms below for your consideration.
• Pay-as-you go- Any Member of Congress may make a point of order against a bill, if the rule of debate for that bill waives the Pay-go rule. In such a case any Member making a point of order may require a recorded vote on the point of order.
• Openness and Transparency- The cost of a bill, as determined by the Congressional Budget Office, shall be printed at the top of every piece of federal legislation and should also be announced on the House floor before debate begins.
• Committee Process- Committees may not adopt rules that allow any Members, other than the Chair and Ranking Members, to give opening statements at hearings, except by unanimous consent.
• Amendments on the House floor/Suspensions - Each annual federal spending bill and any bill allowing for expenditures from the Treasury (tax bills) should come to the House floor under an open rule allowing any Member to offer amendments. Only bills with the support of two-thirds of the Members from the Committee of jurisdiction should be allowed to be placed on the suspension calendar.
• 72 hours- Every bill must be available on the internet in its full and complete version for Members and the public to see and read for at least 72 hours before it can be voted on by
the House.
• Ethical Standards- The Ethics Committee must report to the House any formal investigations they are conducting. Additionally, the Ethics Committee must announce when they complete an investigation and what that outcome was. If an ethical violation is brought against a Member, the ethics Committee must initiate action within 30 days.
As we all know, America is the greatest nation in the world because of the democracy that we enjoy and the voice that people have due to the election process. We must continue to find ways that we can give all Americans a voice in the House of Representatives. We all know that the People’s House will lead the way in making changes to ensure that our federal debt and unemployment are reduced, but I firmly believe that we cannot do this by operating as usual. These changes are needed and something I hope you will take into serious consideration. I look forward to working with you in the coming months as these decisions are made.
Sincerely,
Ed Whitfield
Member of Congress
Cc: The Honorable John Boehner
The Honorable Eric Cantor
The Honorable Kevin McCarthy
