[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 437 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 437

 Recognizing the security challenges of convening Government officials 
  in one specific place and directing the House of Representatives to 
take appropriate steps so that the House of Representatives can meet in 
                           a virtual setting.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 13, 2011

 Mr. Pearce submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
 the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on 
    Rules and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the security challenges of convening Government officials 
  in one specific place and directing the House of Representatives to 
take appropriate steps so that the House of Representatives can meet in 
                           a virtual setting.

Whereas Congressmen and congressional staff need to interact more with 
        constituents;
Whereas Congressmen must be more accountable to their constituents;
Whereas constituents deserve better access to their Congressman;
Whereas constituents must overcome time constraints and high travel costs to 
        travel to Washington, DC, to meet with their Congressman;
Whereas Congressmen currently do most of their work from Washington, DC, and 
        travel varying distances to their districts;
Whereas many congressional staffers do not spend time in the district for which 
        they were hired to work, and are less in touch with the needs of 
        constituents than they would be if they worked in the district;
Whereas the House of Representatives currently demands that Congressmen 
        physically assemble in Washington, DC, to conduct their duties, 
        including holding debates, hearings, meetings, and votes;
Whereas recent advances in technology, such as electronic voting, video 
        conferencing, and secure telephone and internet connections, would make 
        it possible for the House of Representatives to hold debates, hearings, 
        meetings, and votes in a virtual setting;
Whereas, because of the possibility of another terrorist attack on Washington, 
        DC, there are security and safety concerns about the entire Congress 
        being physically located in a single place; and
Whereas Government operating costs are far too high, and Congress must find new 
        and innovative ways to save taxpayer money by decreasing the operating 
        costs of the Government: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) directs the Committee on House Administration to 
        identify the best practices for holding debates, hearings, 
        meetings, and votes of the House of Representatives in a 
        virtual setting; and
            (2) directs the Committee on House Administration to 
        establish procedures and rules for Congressmen to consider 
        legislation in a virtual setting; and
            (3) directs the House of Representatives to hold debates, 
        hearings, meetings, and votes in a virtual setting in 
        accordance with the requirement to assemble under section 2 of 
        the 20th Amendment of the Constitution.
                                 <all>