H.Res. 504, A Resolution Requiring Legislation Be Posted On-Line 72 Hours Before Consideration

With all the news swirling around Dick Cheney the last few days, I nearly overlooked mentioning the reintroduction of a resolution that should be near and dear to citizen journalists everywhere. On June 20, 2007, Rep. Brian Baird (D, WA-3)reintroduced H.Res.504. The resolution's title says it all. "Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to require that legislation and conference reports be available on the Internet for 72 hours before consideration by the House, and for other purposes."

The Resolution is Co-sponsored by Blue Girl's own Rep. Emanuel Cleaver [D, MO-5], Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D, TX-18], Rep. Timothy Johnson [R, IL-15], Rep. Walter Jones [R, NC-3], Rep. Jim Matheson [D, UT-2] and Rep. Dennis Moore [D, KS-3]. Diane isn't Dennis Moore your Congressman?

If you follow the links you can follow the resolution's progress.

The resolution was referred to the House Committee on Rules. Blue Girl you might want to give Reverend Cleaver a shout. Thank him for his support for legislative transparency.

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Earmarks Reform Progressing

Remember last week when House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey agreed to publish a list of the earmarks and the lawmakers behind them a month before the legislation to which they are attached comes up for a vote. Well it looks like that is exactly what he is doing. Bill Allison of the Sunlight Foundation is reporting that "the Appropriations Committee has released lists of earmarks along with two bills."

The earmarks associated with the Interior Department Appropriations Bill can be found here. Here is the list of Financial Service earmarks. Be warned, the lists are pdf.

Now if we could just talk the Obey into publishing them online in a user friendly format. I wonder how Congressman Dennis Moore's (D-Kan) H.RES.1008 is coming along. You remember, that is the resolution co-sponsored by 21 Representatives requiring the posting of the amount of the earmark; "the name of the Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner sponsoring the earmark; the name and address of the intended recipient of the earmark; the purpose of the earmark; and a statement of whether the Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner sponsoring the earmark has a financial interest in the earmark or in the intended recipient of the earmark" on the Internet at least 7 days before a committee or house.

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