The Hill Report

This week in Washington, current and newly-elected Members of Congress took the oath of office to inaugurate the 110th Congress.

The commencement of a new Congress normally represents a time to work together with renewed commitment for the priorities the American people have outlined in the previous election. As you know, incumbent Democrats nationwide, and many Democrat challengers, ran on a promise and a commitment to make Congress more open and inclusive for all Members.

Incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in her Minority Bill of Rights, stated that “too often, incivility and the heavy hand of the majority” have silenced the minority and choked off “thoughtful debate.” (Washington Post, A3, June 24, 2006).

However, despite her promises to increase civility in the House, follow regular order, and protect the rights of the minority party, her very first act as Speaker is to withhold the House Rules package from the minority party until the night before the vote – despite the fact that the Rules package itself requires that “Members have adequate time to review any bill or joint resolution before voting.”

Many Members, including myself, took Speaker Pelosi and her colleagues at their word about their desire to work together to solve problems for America. This broken promise raises serious questions about their commitment to working with us. In fact, certain provisions of the Rules package represent a significant step backward in terms of accountability.

For instance, currently, all votes taken in the House Rules Committee are recorded and published. Under Speaker Pelosi’s Rules package, Rules Committee votes will no longer be recorded, essentially creating a “secret ballot” and relieving Rules Committee Members of any accountability for votes taken in the Rules Committee.

The Rules package also details the Speaker’s plans to bypass regular order and take up the items in their “100 Hours Agenda” without input or the possibility of amendment. Such backtracking contradicts what Speaker Pelosi and her colleagues promised to do, and it is certainly no way to legislate complex issues on behalf of the American people.

When Republicans passed the legislation that made up the Contract with America in 1994, we adhered to regular order, providing a forum for all Members to debate and comment upon proposed legislation through the normal committee process. Our goal was to do away with the bad old days of “back room” legislating and bring more sunlight to the process. The Rules package before the House this week will do just the opposite, and the American people deserve better.

Economic News
Today, the Department of Labor announced strong employment gains for December as the unemployment rate remains steady at a historically low 4.5 percent. U.S. employers added 167,000 workers to payrolls in December as consumer spending continues to rise, indicating future economic growth. These outstanding employment gains followed November’s 154,000 rise in employment, up from previously reported estimates.

In addition to strong employment gains, December average hourly earnings rose by 0.5 percent, the highest in eight months. I will continue working with my colleagues to ensure that lower taxes continue to spur economic growth and allow American families to keep more of their own money.