Nancy Pelosi recently stated, “But we have to pass the [health care] bill so that you can find out what is in it.”
I’d like to suggest another way to “find out what is in it.” READ THE BILL! Reading the bill really is much easier than passing a bill that will cost over $1 Trillion and mandate (under threat of fine and imprisonment) the purchase of health insurance.
Congress needs to pass the “Read the Bills Act (RTBA).” RTBA requires that . . .
- Each bill, and every amendment, must be read in its entirety before a quorum in both the House and Senate.
- Every member of the House and Senate who plans to vote in the affirmative – to vote for tax increases, for spending bills, for the retention or creation of programs, in support of laws and regulations – must sign a sworn affidavit, under penalty of perjury, that he or she has attentively either personally read, or heard read, the complete bill to be voted on.
- Every old law coming up for renewal under the sunset provisions must also be read according to the same rules that apply to new bills.
- Every bill to be voted on must be published on the Internet at least 7 days before a vote, and Congress must give public notice of the date when a vote will be held on that bill.
- Passage of a bill that does not abide by these provisions will render the measure null and void, and establish grounds for the law to be challenged in court.
- Congress cannot waive these requirements.
The effects of these provisions will be profound . . .
- Congress will have to slow down. This means the pace of government growth will also slow.
- Bills will shrink, be less complicated, and contain fewer subjects, so that Congress will be able to endure hearing them read.
- Fewer bad proposals will be passed due to “log-rolling.”
- No more secret clauses will be inserted into bills at the last moment.
- Government should shrink as old laws reach their sunset date, and have to be read for the first time before they can be renewed.