Washington
(Dec 1)
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/45819.html
Farewell to feel-good House resolutions
By: Jake Sherman and Jonathan Allen
December 1, 2010
Republicans are moving to get rid of House votes on symbolic resolutions and are planning to post their internal conference rules online, two minor yet politically important changes to the party’s operating guidelines.
The GOP next Wednesday is set to adopt a new set of Republican Conference rules that will place tight restrictions on who and what the House can honor, a bid to cut time they consider wasted on the floor.
The rule, as proposed by the GOP leadership in concert with the transition committee, will prohibit bills from coming to the floor if it “expresses appreciation, commends, congratulates, celebrates, recognizes the accomplishments of, or celebrates the anniversary of an entity, event, group, individual, institution, team or government program; or acknowledges or recognizes a period of time for such purposes”
This will stop the House from honoring entities such as sports teams, colleges, individuals and symbols –variations of which have seen floor time on Capitol Hill. It’s a sign of frustration with incessant votes after athletic teams win championships, which has become an object of obsession with Republican lawmakers. Some GOP lawmakers have even voted against giving nods to national championships in a sign of protest.
For example, on Wednesday alone, the House voted on “Commending the City of Jacksonville, Arkansas, for its outstanding support in creating a unique and lasting partnership with Little Rock Air Force Base, members of the Armed Forces stationed there and their families, and the Air Force.” The House also voted Wednesday on a resolution “Honoring and saluting golf legend Juan Antonio Chi Chi Rodriguez for his commitment to Latino youth programs of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.”
In addition to killing the feel-good resolutions, the House Republican Conference will post its conference rules online, something that neither party has done. It’s meant to shine a light on the conference’s inner-workings, which are often an object of confusion on Capitol Hill. House Democrats do not post its conference rules online.
The changes are still subject to a full conference vote, which will include the Republicans’ new lawmakers.
Republicans will still allow resolutions which honor foreign countries, and can still name post offices because those are not considered resolutions. And to circumvent the rules changes, the Elected Leadership Committee can waive the conference rules, but that’s not expected. Incoming House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and incoming Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) have both bemoaned the time wasted in the House.
Also exempted are bereavements, condolences, condemnations or policy directions and requests, according to a copy of the language obtained by POLITICO.
Expected to be added is “Cut-As-You-Go” rules, which would prohibit the House from passing a bill under suspension of House rules if its cost isn’t offset. That proposed rule was first reported by The Wall Street Journal’s Washington Wire blog.