[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1194 Laid on Table in House (LTH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1194

           Raising a question of the privileges of the House.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 18, 2010

 Mr. Cantor submitted the following resolution; which was laid on the 
                                 table

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
           Raising a question of the privileges of the House.

Whereas at least three members of the House Democratic Leadership have endorsed 
        a procedural tactic for the sole purpose of avoiding an up-or-down vote, 
        by the yeas and nays, on the Senate-passed health care bill;
Whereas, on Tuesday, March 16, 2010, Representative James Clyburn, the House 
        majority whip, stated, ``We will deem passed the Senate bill . . .'';
Whereas on Tuesday, March 16, The Washington Post reported, ``After laying the 
        groundwork for a decisive vote this week on the Senate's health-care 
        bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested Monday that she might attempt 
        to pass the measure without having members vote on it. Instead, Pelosi 
        (D-Calif.) would rely on a procedural sleight of hand . . .'';
Whereas in the same Washington Post article, the Speaker declared, ``. . . I 
        like it because people don't have to vote on the Senate bill.'';
Whereas on Tuesday, March 16, McClatchy Newspapers reported Representative John 
        Larson, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, stated, ``Many of our 
        members would prefer not to have voted for the Senate bill.'';
Whereas on Tuesday, March 9, U.S. News and World Report reported, ``Pelosi 
        gaffed, telling the local elected officials assembled `that Congress 
        [has] to pass the bill so you can find out what's in it, away from the 
        fog of controversy.''';
Whereas on Tuesday, March 16, The Washington Post editorialized, ``. . . what is 
        intended as a final sprint threatens to turn into something unseemly 
        and, more important, contrary to Democrats' promises of transparency and 
        time for deliberation. . . . [I]t strikes us as a dodgy way to reform 
        the health-care system. Democrats who vote for the package will be 
        tagged with supporting the Senate bill in any event.'';
Whereas on Tuesday, March 16, the Cincinnati Enquirer editorialized, ``This 
        disgusting process, which Democrats brazenly wish to bring to conclusion 
        this week, is being done with little regard for the opinions of a clear 
        majority of Americans who, while they may believe health care reform is 
        necessary, think this particular approach will take our nation down the 
        wrong economic path.'';
Whereas bipartisan members of the House and Senate have expressed their 
        opposition to using the Slaughter Solution;
Whereas on Wednesday, March 10, Representative Joe Donnelly released the 
        following statement, ``The process over the past few months has been 
        frustrating, including the cutting of unacceptable special deals to 
        assure a few senators' votes.'';
Whereas Representative Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania has characterized the 
        exploitation of the Slaughter Solution by Democratic Leadership as 
        ``wrong'' and unpopular among his constituents;
Whereas on Friday, March 12, POLITICO reported on a memo sent from 
        Representative Chris Van Hollen, chairman of the Democratic 
        Congressional Campaign Committee, to freshman and sophomore House 
        Democrats that stated, ``At this point, we have to just rip the band-aid 
        off . . . Things like reconciliation and what the rules committee does 
        is INSIDE BASEBALL.'';
Whereas on Tuesday, March 16, Roll Call reported, ``Hoyer argued that the 
        American public isn't interested in the process lawmakers use for 
        approving reforms . . .'';
Whereas on Tuesday, March 16, Representative James Clyburn told Fox News, 
        ``Controversy doesn't bother me at all.'';
Whereas the Democratic leadership of the House has conducted a calculated and 
        coordinated attempt to willfully deceive the American people by 
        embracing the ``Slaughter Solution'';
Whereas resorting to the ``Slaughter Solution'' in this circumstance, is being 
        done to intentionally hide from the American people a future vote that 
        Members of Congress may take on the Senate-passed health care 
        legislation;
Whereas the deceptive behavior demonstrated by the Democratic Leadership has 
        brought discredit upon the House of Representatives; and
Whereas the Democratic leadership has willfully abused its power to chart a 
        legislative course for the Senate health care bill that is deliberately 
        calculated to obfuscate what the House will vote on, in an illegitimate 
        effort to confuse the public and thereby fraudulently insulate certain 
        Representatives from accountability for their conduct of their offices: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House disapproves of the malfeasant manner in 
which the Democratic Leadership has thereby discharged the duties of 
their offices.
                                 <all>