House Democrats muzzle GOP on sensitive issues

[Chris]

At issue are 12 bills totaling more than $1.2 trillion in annual appropriations bills for funding most government programs—usually low-profile legislation that typically dominates the work of the House in June and July. For decades, those bills have come to the floor under an open process that allows any member to try to amend them. Often those amendments are an effort to change government policy by adding or subtracting money for carrying it out.

The tradition has often meant laborious debates. But it has allowed lawmakers with little seniority to have their say on doling out the one-third of the federal budget passed by Congress each year. It was a right the Democrats zealously defended when they were the minority party from 1995 through 2006.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, D-Wis., insists the clampdown is to prevent debates from dragging on and on. Republicans, however, have agreed to limit the amount of time debating the bills.

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., acknowledged in a brief interview that one reason for restricting amendments is to save members of his party from having to cast politically painful votes.

So instead of debating an attempt backed by House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio to allow more children living in Washington to receive school vouchers, the House will vote on a Quixotic attempt to eliminate the President's Council of Economic Advisers.

The House That Nancy Built

What is this world coming to when a politician should have to take a stand on an issue.  Sounds like Hoyer is trying his hardest to hang onto his majority while Barry and Nancy work on sinking the whole ship.

[rich_t]

I hope the Repubs remember this shit and pay it back in spades when they retake the House at some future point.

[Chris_]

I hope the Repubs remember this shit and pay it back in spades when they retake the House at some future point.

Sorry; you aren't permitted to hope for that.  "HOPE"® is the proprietary trademark of US Obamessiah, Inc.  All rights reserved.

And don't go looking for "CHANGE"®, either.