BBV: New Co-Sponsors for HR 2239 (10/16/2003)

[goobergunch]

Rep Deutsch, Peter - 10/16/2003
Rep Sanders, Bernard - 10/16/2003
Rep Hooley, Darlene - 10/16/2003
Rep Cummings, Elijah E. - 10/16/2003
Rep Thompson, Bennie G. - 10/16/2003

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:HR02239:@@@N

Bringing the grand total up to 50!

:bounce: :bounce:

[JohnGideon]

1. But? How Many Have Signed The Petition To Get it to the Floor n/t

[BevHarris]

2. JohnGideon -- could you help me with this:

(if you know)

In a nutshell, what's next in order to succeed with this? How exactly does the procedure work, and what are the biggest priorities?

I've never understood congress very well.

Bev

[JohnGideon]

3. I'm Not An Expert But Here Is What I Understand

I talked to someone in Jay Insley's office about how this all works. From what I understand, the bill is presently sitting stagnate in committee (I think the Rules Committee). There is a procedure, which is being followed now, to get it to the floor and bypass the committee. This is to 'petition' the bill to the floor. Essentially, they have a stack of petitions sitting on someones desk on the floor of the House. Any Rep. who wants to sign a petition for a bill, just signs. When they have a pure majority of Reps. signing the petition then the bill goes to the floor. However, it is still up to the Leaders to schedule it for debate and vote.

So, the last I heard (last month), the HR2239 Petition had 205 signatures on it. All of the Dems had signed and a few Repugs. I have no idea if that number has grown but, I understand that Delay doesn't want this bill to go to the floor (no surprise there) so it's going to be tough to get the rest of the signatures.

Also, don't confuse "Co-sponsor" with "petition signer" they may or may not be the same people.

[goobergunch]

5. I don't know what you're talking about...there's no discharge petition

on this bill. :(

http://clerk.house.gov/legisAct/votes.php

[JohnGideon]

7. Hmmmmm

I was told there was by Inslee's office. I didn't bother to look for myself. My bad! I'll know better next time.

[gristy]

6. That's good news

So, the last I heard (last month), the HR2239 Petition had 205 signatures on it. All of the Dems had signed and a few Repugs.

Signing the petition is kind of like election reform lite. If palatable enough for enough repugs to sign, then it goes to the floor for a debate and a vote!!??? That would be GREAT!

So maybe DUers should be calling our repuke reps now and telling them to sign the petition, rather than be a cosponsor (which they probably won't).

[goobergunch]

8. Here's what's going on right now, as I understand it

-H.R. 2239 was introduced in May and sent to the Committee on House Administration

-50 members have since joined Holt in "co-sponsoring" this legislation.

-The Committee on House Administration has a 6-3 Repuke edge, so we need substantial Repuke support to get it out.

-It is possible to get around House Admin by filing a discharge petition on the bill or a rule to provide for consideration of the same. However, none has yet been filed. A discharge petition requires 218 signatures.

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me...and keep up the good work! :yourock:

[MaineDem]

4. I just wrote to my Congressman

For what it's worth. I urged him to become a cosponsor and to support the bill.

Thanks for the reminder.