[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 109 (Monday, July 20, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H8391]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TO ENSURE PROPER TRANSPARENCY, LEGISLATION SHOULD BE ONLINE 72 HOURS 
                            PRIOR TO A VOTE

  (Mr. PAULSEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PAULSEN. Madam Speaker, next week Congress will likely vote on a 
health care bill that costs over $1 trillion and has serious 
repercussions for every American. I simply request that every Member be 
given the appropriate time to review the final bill.
  Just a few weeks ago, a 300-page amendment was made to the cap-and-
trade bill at 3 a.m. and voted on just hours later without allowing 
Members and staff ample time to peruse it. The over 1,000-page stimulus 
bill was similarly hustled through Congress without time for Members to 
even read it. This is not an acceptable way to run Congress.
  To that end, I am cosponsoring a bill that will require legislation 
be available on the Internet for 72 hours so that the public and 
Members of Congress will have a chance to see it. As we debate health 
reform or any other issue, the American people want us to get it right. 
To do that, we must avoid arbitrary deadlines and passing measures in 
the dark of night without full debate or proper transparency.

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