Signing Petition Would Force Lawmakers Allow Public to Read Health Bill Before Vote
Washington- Gene Green has the opportunity to put his money where his mouth is by supporting a measure promoting transparency and openness in the legislative process including the Democrats massive healthcare proposal. H.Res. 554 a bipartisan bill that would require Congress to post legislation online for 72 hours before voting has earned 98 cosponsors including Green himself from both sides of the aisle.
Since Greens party leaders refuse to let the bill see the light of day it can only be brought to a floor vote after gathering signatures from a majority of House members on a discharge petition.
Green has the opportunity; will he actually back this commonsense push for transparency and openness or will he reveal himself to be a political opportunist unwilling to stand up to his party?
Separately a bipartisan group of House lawmakers on Wednesday announced their own effort to force Democratic leaders to give members of Congress -- and the public -- 72 hours to review legislation before any bill is brought to the floor for a vote.
The measure sponsored by Rep. Brian Baird Washington Democrat and Republican Reps. John Culberson of Texas and Greg Walden of Oregon would
require House leaders to post all non-emergency legislation online in its final form three days before a vote.
The lawmakers have begun circulating a discharge petition that would force House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to hold a vote on their bill which has been stuck in committee for months." (Jennifer Haberkorn and Kara Rowland
Dems Block GOP Demand for More Time" Washington Times 9/23/09)
After co-sponsoring this practical and commonsense measure to require openness and transparency in Washington it should be a no-brainer for Gene Greene to step up and put pen to paper in order to let members of congress and the public read legislation such as the Democrats thousand-page healthcare bill before it comes to a vote" said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain.
Americans are rightly outraged that Democrats continue to rush their reckless agenda through Congress without proper debate and scrutiny. Gene Green has a golden opportunity to stand up to his party bosses and let them know that hes on the side of Texas families who expect their representative to read bills before voting on them."
With Gene Green facing the opportunity to force an up-or-down vote on legislation that would allow both the public and Congress three days to read legislation before it comes to a vote will he step up to the plate or cower to his party bosses once again?
