Press Releases
Luetkemeyer, Freshmen Colleagues Call for Honesty, Transparency in Government
Washington, DC,
October 27, 2009
U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9) and members of the House Republican Freshmen Class today expressed their concerns about the liberal Majority's troubling trend of crafting legislation in secret and forcing votes on legislation no one has a chance to read.
U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9) and members of the House Republican Freshmen Class today expressed their concerns about the liberal Majority’s troubling trend of crafting legislation in secret and forcing votes on legislation no one has a chance to read. “President Obama and Speaker Pelosi have called for a more honest, open and transparent governement yet they allow secret meetings to craft legislation and then support passing legislation no one has the time to read,” said Luetkemeyer, who attended a Washington D.C. news conference with fellow Freshman members. “Republicans in the past have also failed to meet this standard and that must end because the people’s elected representatives should be operating in the open, and I and my colleagues are committed to these principles.” For example, Luetkemeyer has signed onto to a bipartisan resolution, H. Res. 554, which would change House rules to require all major bills to be posted online publicly for at least 72 hours before they are brought to a vote on the House floor. Luetkemeyer is also a supporter of H. Res. 835 that calls for greater transparency in the committee amendment process by banning “phantom amendments” and requiring committees to post bill text online within 24 hours of adoption. He also backs H. Res. 847 calling for any conference committee or other meetings held on negotiations of national health care legislation be held in public to ensure a full and honest debate. ### |