by Mary Lynn F. Jones

The American Prospect

07/21/04

It's a sad state of affairs when a lawmaker has to introduce a bill prohibiting other lawmakers from hacking into one another's computer files, bribing other members on the House floor, or calling the Capitol police to have another member removed from a room. But that's exactly what legislation being introduced this week by Rep. Carolyn Maloney does ... Rep. Martin Meehan is proposing legislation -- the Democracy in Congress Act of 2004 -- to allow votes to stay open for a maximum of 30 minutes. ... Republicans have abused this rule repeatedly, most recently on July 8, when they held open a vote for 38 minutes. That was enough time for GOP leaders to convince nine lawmakers to withdraw their support for the bipartisan amendment limiting Patriot Act invasions of Americans' reading habits, ensuring its defeat even as Democrats chanted, 'Shame, shame, shame...

http://www.prospect.org/web/printfriendly-view.ww?id=8171


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp