Congressmen Ami Bera, David Cicilline, Rodney Davis and Adam Kinzinger talk problem solving.
Senate goes 0 for 5 on budget votes -- Daily Dose
Submitted by Collin Berglund on May 17, 2012
0 FOR 5: Yesterday the Senate held five absolutely meaningless, pointless and time-wasting budget votes that never had a chance of passing. Then, senators took to the spin zone to start casting blame. It’s like a golfer whiffing on his first tee shot five times, walking off the course and claiming he just played a great round. Saying the budget process is broken doesn't even get at how bad it has become in Washington. Now senators are stomping on the budget process's tattered remains: Scott Wong for POLITICO: Senate games: Every budget goes down
SOME KNOW IT'S TIME TO START FIXING: At least some senators know the system is broken. That's why No Labels is high-fiving Senator Mark Pryor for noting the absurdity of the current budget process and calling for reform. Senator Joe Lieberman acknowledged the same thing when he took to the Senate floor yesterday and proposed a commission to look into revising the 1974 Budget Act which sets budgetary guidelines for Congress. That's an idea No Labels is supporting.
DEBT NEWS UPDATE: In the latest debt news, House Speaker John Boehner wants to restart the debt-limit debate, the Senate failed to agree on a budget plan, Mitt Romney made a major speech on the debt and no one can agree on how bad the fiscal cliff will be. "Robert Greenstein, the president of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, seemed to feel as if it might be sort of like bungee jumping. (“It is quite possible that we go over the cliff but only for a very short period ...”) Others, like Representative Kevin Brady of Texas, have a more negative attitude. (“It makes no sense to get even close to that cliff.”)" Gail Collins for The New York Times: Fun Plans for Summer Vacation
FIX CONGRESS NOW CAUCUS SUPPORTS NO BUDGET, NO PAY: Yesterday Reps. Jim Cooper, Kurt Schrader, Reid Ribble, Joe Walsh, Diane Black and Scott Rigell announced the creation of the "Fix Congress Now Caucus." In their first move they supported the No Budget, No Pay Act: Paige Winfield Cunningham for The Washington Times: 2-party group puts pay on line in get budget passed in House
THE ASPEN CURSE: Is No Labels Co-Founder Jonathan Miller cursed? Miller and other members of the bipartisan congressional training group the Aspen Institute have run into political roadblocks over the past few years -- and it speaks to the sorry state of bipartisanship in this country. Miller challenges Americans who are fed up with politics as usual to help break the Aspen Curse by working through movements like No Labels: Jonathan Miller for The Huffington Post: The "Aspen Curse" & the Sorry State of Bipartisanship
NO GROVER, NOT AGAIN: Last year Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) declined to renew his Americans for Tax Reform pledge against raising taxes. Why didn't he take the pledge? "My responsibility is to make judgments about hard, complex issues that I believe to be right." Fortenberry gets it -- members of Congress should not make any pledges except the oath of office: Suzy Khimm for The Washington Post: Jeff Fortenberry: One House Republican who's dared to defy Grover Norquist
TWO EXAMPLES OF BIPARTISANSHIP YESTERDAY: A Senate committee passed bipartisan legislation allowing same-sex spouses of federal workers to receive employment benefits. A House subcommittee normally overcome by hyper-partisanship agreed the Hatch Act, which regulates the political activity of federal employees and some other public workers, must be fixed. Baby steps ... Joe Davidson for The Washington Post: Lawmakers find bipartisan ground on behalf of federal workforce
STAT OF THE DAY: No Budget, No Pay now has 51 cosponsors in the House and 11 in the Senate, bringing the total up to 62, after Reps. Kenny Marchant and Charlie Dent signed on.
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Written & edited by Collin Berglund, Joe Mansour and Lauren Gilbert
Tips, questions or ideas? Email the Daily Dose team at dailydose@nolabels.org or tweet at us (@nolabelsorg).
12 Ways to Make Congress Work!
- 1. No Budget, No Pay
If Congress can't pass a budget and all annual spending bills on time, members of Congress should not get paid.
- 2. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointments
All presidential nominations should be confirmed or rejected within 90 days of the nomination.
- 3. Fix the Filibuster
Require real (not virtual) filibusters and end filibusters on motions to proceed.
- 4. Empower the Sensible Majority
Allow a bipartisan majority of members to override a leader or committee chair’s refusal to bring a bill to the floor.
- 5. Make Members Come to Work
Make Congress work on coordinated schedules with three five-day work weeks a month in DC and one week in their home district.
- 6. Question Time for the President
Provide a monthly forum for members of Congress to ask the president questions to force leaders to debate one another and defend their ideas.
- 7. Fiscal Report to Congress
A nonpartisan leader should deliver an annual, televised fiscal update in-person to a joint session of Congress to ensure everyone is working off the same facts.
- 8. No Pledge but the Oath of Office
Members should make no pledge but the pledge of allegiance and their formal oath of office.
- 9. Monthly Bipartisan Gatherings
The House and Senate should institute monthly, off-the-record and bipartisan gatherings to get members talking across party lines.
- 10. Bipartisan Seating
At all joint meetings or sessions of Congress, each member should be seated next to at least one member of the other party.
- 11. Bipartisan Leadership Committee
Congressional party leaders should form a bipartisan congressional leadership committee to discuss legislative agendas and substantive solutions.
- 12. No Negative Campaigns Against Incumbents
Incumbents from one party should not conduct negative campaigns against sitting members of the opposing party.
- 1. No Budget, No Pay
If Congress can't pass a budget and all annual spending bills on time, members of Congress should not get paid.
- 2. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointments
All presidential nominations should be confirmed or rejected within 90 days of the nomination.
- 3. Fix the Filibuster
Require real (not virtual) filibusters and end filibusters on motions to proceed.
- 4. Empower the Sensible Majority
Allow a bipartisan majority of members to override a leader or committee chair’s refusal to bring a bill to the floor.
- 5. Make Members Come to Work
Make Congress work on coordinated schedules with three five-day work weeks a month in DC and one week in their home district.
- 6. Question Time for the President
Provide a monthly forum for members of Congress to ask the president questions to force leaders to debate one another and defend their ideas.
- 7. Fiscal Report to Congress
A nonpartisan leader should deliver an annual, televised fiscal update in-person to a joint session of Congress to ensure everyone is working off the same facts.
- 8. No Pledge but the Oath of Office
Members should make no pledge but the pledge of allegiance and their formal oath of office.
- 9. Monthly Bipartisan Gatherings
The House and Senate should institute monthly, off-the-record and bipartisan gatherings to get members talking across party lines.
- 10. Bipartisan Seating
At all joint meetings or sessions of Congress, each member should be seated next to at least one member of the other party.
- 11. Bipartisan Leadership Committee
Congressional party leaders should form a bipartisan congressional leadership committee to discuss legislative agendas and substantive solutions.
- 12. No Negative Campaigns Against Incumbents
Incumbents from one party should not conduct negative campaigns against sitting members of the opposing party.
- 1. No Budget, No Pay
If Congress can't pass a budget and all annual spending bills on time, members of Congress should not get paid.
- 2. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointments
All presidential nominations should be confirmed or rejected within 90 days of the nomination.
- 3. Fix the Filibuster
Require real (not virtual) filibusters and end filibusters on motions to proceed.
- 4. Empower the Sensible Majority
Allow a bipartisan majority of members to override a leader or committee chair’s refusal to bring a bill to the floor.
- 5. Make Members Come to Work
Make Congress work on coordinated schedules with three five-day work weeks a month in DC and one week in their home district.
- 6. Question Time for the President
Provide a monthly forum for members of Congress to ask the president questions to force leaders to debate one another and defend their ideas.
- 7. Fiscal Report to Congress
A nonpartisan leader should deliver an annual, televised fiscal update in-person to a joint session of Congress to ensure everyone is working off the same facts.
- 8. No Pledge but the Oath of Office
Members should make no pledge but the pledge of allegiance and their formal oath of office.
- 9. Monthly Bipartisan Gatherings
The House and Senate should institute monthly, off-the-record and bipartisan gatherings to get members talking across party lines.
- 10. Bipartisan Seating
At all joint meetings or sessions of Congress, each member should be seated next to at least one member of the other party.
- 11. Bipartisan Leadership Committee
Congressional party leaders should form a bipartisan congressional leadership committee to discuss legislative agendas and substantive solutions.
- 12. No Negative Campaigns Against Incumbents
Incumbents from one party should not conduct negative campaigns against sitting members of the opposing party.
11 Ways to Make the Presidency Work!
- 1. Regular News Conferences for the President
- 2. Fast-Track Legislative Authority for The President
- 3. Make The Parties Pay for Presidential Fundraising
- 4. A Line Item Veto With A Twist
- 5. Reduce the Number of Appointees Subject to Senate Confirmation
- 6. Identify a "Slate That Can't Wait" of Critical Nominees For Expedited Confirmation
- 7. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointments
- 8. Question Time for The President
- 9. Expanded Presidential Power to Reorganize
- 10. Different Opinions, But the Same Facts
- 11. Regular Meetings Between the President And Congressional Leadership
- 1. Regular News Conferences for the President
- 2. Fast-Track Legislative Authority for The President
- 3. Make The Parties Pay for Presidential Fundraising
- 4. A Line Item Veto With A Twist
- 5. Reduce the Number of Appointees Subject to Senate Confirmation
- 6. Identify a "Slate That Can't Wait" of Critical Nominees For Expedited Confirmation
- 7. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointment
- 8. Question Time for The President
- 9. Expanded Presidential Power to Reorganize
- 10. Different Opinions, But the Same Facts
- 11. Regular Meetings Between the President And Congressional Leadership
- 1. Regular News Conferences for the President
- 2. Fast-Track Legislative Authority for The President
- 3. Make The Parties Pay for Presidential Fundraising
- 4. A Line Item Veto With A Twist
- 5. Reduce the Number of Appointees Subject to Senate Confirmation
- 6. Identify a "Slate That Can't Wait" of Critical Nominees For Expedited Confirmation
- 7. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointment
- 8. Question Time for The President
- 9. Expanded Presidential Power to Reorganize
- 10. Different Opinions, But the Same Facts
- 11. Regular Meetings Between the President And Congressional Leadership
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In today's Problem-Solver's Daily, what factors are contributing to a broken Congress, the gang of eight knows trust is important and trust in the locker room is similar to trust in public office.
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April 23, 2013 in problem solvers, ami bera, rodney davis, David Cicilline, Adam Kinzinger
"Like many people across our great country, I learned at a young age that balancing the family budget and living within our means is a question of values."
April 5, 2013 in Cheri Bustos, government waste
