Posted on 08/21/2006 1:39:20 PM PDT by Iam1ru1-2
It’s your money, but evidently some Senators don’t want you to know how they spend it
There is a bill in the U.S.Senate (S 2590) which would allow you to go online at a single site and see how your taxes are being spent. However, one or more Senators, acting in secrecy, put a hold on the bill and refused to allow it to come up for debate and action.
The bill, introduced by Sens. Coburn of Oklahoma and Obama of Illinois, would create a website database with access to information on almost all federal spending. Just before the annual August recess, the bill was "hotlined". Under a "hotline", a bill passes as long as nobody secretly objects to its passage. The Coburn/Obama bill did not pass before recess, which means that a secret "hold" was placed on the bill to prevent its passage.
Definition of "hold" from the U.S. Senate website
I have no problem with matters such as security or personnel being discussed in secret, but allowing a Senator to secretly hold a bill just doesn't seem the way the Senate should work. If a Senator opposes a bill, he or she should do so publicly and explain why.
Are either of your Senators among those who have secretly blocked this bill?
The bill has a bipartisan list of prominent co-sponsors including: Senate President Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and possible presidential hopefuls Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. The bill was approved July 27 by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
The House approved a similar measure in June, but its version of the database would include information only on grants. Sponsors in the Senate are working with House members to iron out this difference.
Take Action
Send an e-mail to your two Senators telling them you want the Coburn/Obama bill unblocked and passed! No Senator should oppose this bill secretly. Let the Senator come out and say he or she is opposing it and explain why.
Contact your two Senators today!
And the killer is that Joe Sixpack could care less.
Joe cares plenty, right Joe?
Every one of them has a good reason to oppose this bill. Scumbags.
Don't just post your opinions. PLEASE, go to the links provided and send the provided fax to your senators.
Thanks.
I can't do that from work you see. This is going to have to wait until after I get home.
Although I don't like the secret hold on the bill, I don't like the idea of bills being passed without a vote either.
Put it on the floor, debate it, and hold a recorded vote.
And on top of that, start putting some version control measures on all bills so that every addition or deletion to a bill can be checked to see who proposed it and what the vote to make the change was. No more surprises of some staffer who made a change, but no one has any idea who it was.
The 100 most worthless are working hard again.
Be willing to bet that Senator Rodham ordered someone to object......................................
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.