With the 111th Congress convening today, the House will shortly adopt rules to govern itself. If you thought after all the talk about more transparency and accountability on and off Capitol Hill over the past few months you’d see rules changes in that direction think again!
Quite the opposite is happening. The House majority is expected to pass rule changes that would do the following:
- bar the minority party from offering alternative bills, amendments to bills
- remove the guarantee of open debate via motions to recommit
- repeal the six-year term limit for committee chairmen
Beyond repealing much of the procaedural progress made with the Contract with America in 1995, these changes would ultimately make it more difficult to oppose tax hikes and support tax cuts. Here’s House Republican Leader John Boehner’s column blasting the rules changes on RedState.com this morning.
Happy New Year!?