A 'do-nothing' Congress?

SHILL, SWILL AND SPIEL

Right-wing pundits and Fox News have flooded the airwaves with claims that the new Democratic Congress is “doing nothing.” Poll numbers reflect Americans are buying their spin.

REALITY CHECK

Republicans and a suddenly energized presidential veto pen are blocking certain key legislative efforts. Despite this, the 110th Congress has accomplished much in the last five months.

BILLS

The House of Representatives:

· Passed all 10 bills Democrats promised during the 2006 campaign.
· Passed the $37.4 billion fiscal 2008 Homeland Security spending bill Friday “after three days of delay while leaders bickered over the handling of earmarks. The bill still faces a potential Bush veto over funding levels and wages for federal contractors.”

The Senate:

• Passed six of the 10 Democratic campaign promises with three others currently being considered. (Bush has signed just two of the bills and has vetoed or threatened to veto five.)
· Announced Thursday night that stalled immigration legislation would be brought back to the floor, while making no promises about its substance.

The 110th Congress:

· Enacted the 9/11 Commission recommendations, which, in the years since 9/11, the Republican Congress and Bush have failed to do.
· Passed landmark lobbying and ethics reform.
· Raised the federal minimum wage for the first time in a decade – from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour.
· Voted to expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, legislation which Bush has vowed to veto for a second time.
· Honored its pledge for more openness and accountability in government.
· Introduced new protections for government whistleblowers.
· Authored legislation requiring greater disclosure of presidential records.
· Demanded more responsiveness to Freedom of Information Act requests.
· Included billions more than Bush requested for military health care and research in the 2007 Emergency Supplemental, which Bush signed.
· Restored necessary checks and balances, “in contrast to the dangerous expansion of executive authority granted by previous Congresses.”
· Drove Bush on Thursday to sign the Preserving United States Attorney Independence Act, “which repeals an obscure PATRIOT Act provision permitting the appointment of interim U.S. attorneys without Senate approval, a provision which is at the heart of the U.S. attorney scandal.”
· Examined ways “to curb Bush's warrantless wiretapping system, which even FBI Director Robert Mueller acknowledges is laden with ‘abuses and violations’ of authority.”
· Restored the Constitutional provision of aggressive oversight of government, which was “woefully neglected” by Bush’s political allies in the previous Congress.

The Senate Judiciary Committee:

· Passed on June 7 The Habeas Corpus Restoration Act. Last year the Republican Congress suspended the Writ of Habeas Corpus, which has its roots in the 14th Century and simply guarantees that if you are arrested, you must be told why you’re being held.

REPORT CARD

The 110th Congress is currently debating immigration reform, the Iraq War and a comprehensive energy policy. Failure to resolve these issues – due to partisan posturing - has resulted in lower poll numbers for performance. Overall, the legislation outlined above negates the MYTH that Congress is “doing nothing.”

THE POWER OF YOU

This is the preachy-teachy part, but must be pointed out. Far too many Americans fail to realize it’s their responsibility and privilege to direct Congressional action. The U.S. Congress works for YOU. Imagine the power unleashed if the populace contacted senators and representatives on a regular basis regarding issues of concern.

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SOURCES OF KEY LEGISLATION:
Center for American Progress: LINK
Congressional Quarterly: LINK