[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 103 (Thursday, July 22, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1481]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


     RESTORING DEMOCRACY TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS ACT OF 2004

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 22, 2004

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, the United States Congress should be a 
role model for democracies around the world. Instead, with votes that 
are extended up to three hours to change their outcome to allegations 
of bribery on the House Floor to the alleged stealing of computer files 
by a staffer, we are increasingly becoming a model of how not to run a 
democracy. That is why we am introducing the Restoring Democracy to the 
United States. This legislation sets forth ten changes that would 
ensure that the U.S. Congress will continue to be a beacon of 
democracy.
  1. This legislation would limit the time of roll call votes to 17 
minutes.
  2. It would require conference committees to meet and vote before 
filing their conference report.
  3. It would prohibit germaneness requirements for conference reports 
from being waived.
  4. It would prohibit Members from calling the Capitol Police to have 
a Member removed from a room.
  5. It would prohibit redistricting between censuses.
  6. It would prohibit a vote on legislation unless it has been 
available in a searchable form online for more than 24 hours.
  7. It would prohibit bribery on the House Floor.
  8. It would prohibit the hacking into Member's computer files.
  9. It would prohibit Committees from spending more than $25,000 a 
year on franked mail.
  10. It would guarantee the Minority a minimum of one-third of the 
overall committee budget.
  These ten measure would go a long way to ensure that democracy is 
upheld in the United States Congress. Unless we enact these safeguards, 
Members working together in a bipartisan manner will continue to see 
their work thwarted despite having a majority of Members in favor of 
their proposals. How many more abuses must there be before we say 
enough is enough? I urge all Member to support the Restoring Democracy 
to the U.S. Congress Act of 2004.

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