Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic congressional leadership have engaged in an all-out strategy to ram through Congress legislation designed to remake America without time for public debate or even for members of Congress to read the legislation they are voting on.
From the failed “economic stimulus” bill to the cap-and-trade energy tax to bailouts of the auto and financial industries to government-run healthcare legislation, Speaker Pelosi is refusing to give members of Congress and the public time to read the final versions of legislation – let alone debate it.
This “trust me, vote now and read it later” approach effectively turns Congress into a rubber stamp for President Obama’s policies and gives Speaker Pelosi and her fellow liberal lawmakers almost unlimited power.
That is why CCAGW has joined 182 members of Congress in fighting for vote on H. Res. 554, which would change the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives to require Speaker Pelosi to post, without exception, all final versions of legislation on the Internet at least 72 hours before holding a vote.
Here is just one example of why this 72-hour review period is so important.
At approximately 2:45 a.m. on the day the House passed the wildly expensive cap-and-trade energy tax, the liberal leadership of the House mysteriously added a whopping 300-page amendment to the legislation. Congress had spent weeks crafting the bill, and this massive amendment contained new and radical provisions.
One of the worst of the wee-hours-of-the-morning provisions requires you to receive permission from the Environmental Protection Agency in order to sell your home.
Unbelievable, but true! The EPA will review the energy efficiency of your appliances, windows, roof, furnace, air conditioning, and walls to determine if you meet their standards for private homes. If they do not approve of your home, you will be required to make changes, regardless of the cost, before you can sell.
CCAGW is fighting tooth-and-nail to keep this outrageous, authoritarian provision out of the Senate version of cap-and-trade legislation, which is not expected to come up for a vote until next year.
However, we can prevent more radical policies like this EPA home-sale approval requirement RIGHT NOW by stopping Speaker Pelosi and her left-wing minions from being able to call for votes on legislation without time for members of Congress, the public, and policy experts like CCAGW to review the details of a bill.
Not surprisingly, Speaker Pelosi and the ultra-liberal House leadership are blocking vote on H. Res. 554 by bottling it up in the Rules Committee and refusing to let it come to the House floor.
The only way to force a vote on H. Res. 554 is for 218 members of Congress to sign what is known as a Discharge Petition requiring that the 72-hour rule change come to the House floor.
Concerned Taxpayer, as someone who has counted votes in Washington for decades, I can tell you that if this rule change is put to a vote on the House floor an overwhelming number of members of Congress will vote for it – because more than 80 percent of the American people support having all legislation posted on the Internet for 72 hours before a final vote.
Speaker Pelosi’s only chance to block the public and members of Congress from reading and discussing legislation before it becomes law is if she can stop the Discharge Petition from gaining 218 signatures.
As I send you this e-mail, 182 members of Congress, both Republicans and Democrats, have stepped forward to sign the Discharge Petition.
We need just 36 more.
And we have more than enough top targets whom we are heavily lobbying. For example, 24 Representatives co-sponsored vote on H. Res. 554 but have yet to sign the Discharge Petition due to pressure from Speaker Pelosi.
Concerned Taxpayer, we can win these 24 signatures and reach the 218 required, but we urgently need your help.
We must demonstrate in the most concrete manner possible that not only are Americans solidly behind the posting of all legislation on the Internet for at least 72 hours, but that taxpayers are willing to fight for this new rule.
That is why I need you to sign on to the very same Discharge Petition that we are urging members of Congress to sign. We will tabulate your signature, along with the tens of thousands of others, and publicize the results to the members of Congress whose support we are lobbying to secure.
Please, before you do anything else today, take a moment to sign on to the Discharge Petition for H. Res. 554.
Related Reading:
Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi's Life, Times, and Rise to PowerUnthinkable just a generation ago, Hillary Clinton's run for the presidency and Nancy Pelosi's ascension to Speaker of the House have cast the spotlight on American political women as never before. In the 230 years of this country's history, never has a woman—let alone a mother and a grandmother—risen to such a position of power as Nancy Pelosi did when she assumed her role as the first female Speaker of the House, third in line for the presidency. In Madam Speaker, Marc Sandalow, an esteemed journalist and political analyst who covered Pelosi for decades, offers a richly nuanced portrait of the woman who made history. He charts Pelosi's political roots, honing in on her father, who spent five terms in Congress and stored hundreds of copies of the Congressional Record under her bed, and goes on to examine how Pelosi, who didn't run for political office until she was 47 years old, juggled her family life and fought hard to forge a place for herself in Washington, ultimately becoming one of the most influential voices in our nation. Based on hundreds of interviews with Pelosi's colleagues, family, and friends—and the Speaker herself—Sandalow culls together insightful anecdotes and political analysis to chronicle Pelosi's meteoric rise and controversial tenure. Madam Speaker illuminates the inspiring life of a woman who has already made history.
Poland Spring Sport Cap 23.7 Oz (Pack of 24)Reclosable sport cap with Pull tab to open
Easy grip bottles
Kosher
U.S. House of RepresentativesU.S. House of Representatives/U.S Capitol The official seat of the Legislative Branch of the United States Government, the U.S. Capitol is the grand symbol of America's representative democracy. Designed and constructed in the neoclassical style, its elaborate columns and spectacular rotunda make it one of the most easily recognized buildings in the world. The U.S. Capitol was built in stages between 1793 and 1826 and has undergone frequent renovations throughout the past two centuries. It consists of two chambers, the larger of which is occupied by the House of Representatives with its 435 members. In conjunction with the U.S. Senate, the members of this elected body initiate, debate, and vote on legislation which impacts the life of every American. This coin celebrates the heritage of the U.S. Capitol and salutes the dedication of the members of the House of Representatives throughout American history. The obverse features a detailed sculpt of the House of Representatives chamber with the Capitol rotunda towering in the background. The reverse features the Great Seal of the United States. Struck in a brass alloy and finished in antique bronze, this coin is accented with rich enamel highlights on both sides.
How Congress Works and Why You Should CareHow Congress Works and Why You Should Care is a concise introduction to the functions and vital role of the U.S. Congress by eminent former Congressman Lee H. Hamilton. Drawing on 34 years as a U.S. Representative, Hamilton explains how Congress reflects the diversity of the American people, serves as a forum for finding consensus, and provides balance within the federal government. Addressing widespread public misperceptions, he outlines areas where Congress can work better and ways for citizens to become more engaged in public affairs through their representatives in Washington. How Congress Works and Why You Should Care is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the inner workings of Congress, and how all citizens can participate in its unique mission.
(2010)From the supplier: J. Peter Grace divides his time between being CEO of W.R. Grace and Co and co-chairman of the non-profit group Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW). The head of the successful specialty chemicals company began his campaign against wasteful government spending when he was appointed by President Reagan to chair the President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control in 1982. Grace was able to recommend 2,478 dollar-saving measures that were expected to reduce government spending by $424.4 billion over a three-year period. The 79-year old CEO continues to monitor inefficiency, mismanagement and waste in the federal government as part of the CAGW, which he co-chairs with columnist Jack Anderson. The CAGW estimates that wasteful spending in 1992 alone will reach $166.6 billion and may rise to $921 billion over a five-year period. Grace urges the public to voice out their objection.
Citation Details
Title: Peter Grace. (CEO of W.R. Grace and Co.) (N.B.)
Author: Paul Helou
Publication: Chief Executive (U.S.) (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 1992
Publisher: Chief Executive Publishing
Issue: n77 Page: p19(2)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
