Local News
CONGRESS: Lee says lawmakers need time to read legislation
NORTH TONAWANDA — Congressman Chris Lee, R-Clarence, stopped in North Tonawanda on Friday calling for reform regarding the time he and his colleagues have to read lengthy bills before a vote.
He said the way things work currently, representatives are the victims of some pretty absurd logistics.
For instance, he produced a 1,400-page bill on cap and trade tax legislation recently introduced on a Friday at 3 a.m. Lee and others in Congress were then asked to vote on the bill by 7 p.m. the same day.
“It was a foot tall,” Lee said. “You’re talking about having to read a page and a half every minute (in that time) if you want to read this bill in its entirety,” he said, adding it was altered greatly before being submitted for review.
It was one of about 25 such bills Lee said have been introduced in a similar fashion since he took office Jan 6.
The news conference held at 2:30 p.m. at the North Tonawanda Public Library, 505 Meadow Drive, drew mostly members of the media. Lee and two other lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are now touting a document now still in committee that would require at least 72 hours for representatives to review potential laws.
It's called the “Read the Bill” bill, and it now has support from about 180 of 218 required representatives in order to be introduced to the general membership.
Lee, a Republican, said the issue has nothing to do with party affiliation.
“This should go across any party line,” he said. “I’ve spoken to freshman Democrats who are just as frustrated. “If you look at the polling of Americans, Congress is not high on their list and I think this is a classic example of one of the things we do wrong.”
He said the potential reform has a bit more support from house Republicans in the minority, but stressed bipartisan support is evident, and such a law would ultimately benefit everyone and anyone from year to year. That’s because not simply are lawmakers saddled with the impossible task of scrutinizing late legislation, but so, too, are the media and members of the general public.
In a written statement to the public, Lee says the issue is problematic from the standpoint of government transparency. He cited the federal stimulus bill, for example, a 1,073-page document, which he said members of Congress and the press were only allowed some 12 hours to review prior to passage.
The legislation, for good or ill, cost taxpayers $787 billion.
Lee’s statement quotes statistics from a not-for-profit government transparency watchdog group, stating the Sunlight Foundation has identified two dozen occasions this year where house leaders such as Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have “shelved transparency rules.”
“All I’m trying to do is bring awareness, and hopefully the more the public understands, they can be an advocate to push for this, as well,” Lee said.
Lee is also co-sponsoring another potential reform aimed at keeping lawmakers from voting on any measure that has not already been made available to the public online for at least 72 hours.
Contact reporter Neale Gulley at 693-1000, ext. 114.
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