WASHINGTON, D.C. -- No meeting. No debate. Just a phone call.
And, the bill passes unanimously.
This is hotlining. While some senators, including Indiana's own Senators Lugar and Bayh, may have objections to the practice, neither sees the need to work toward changing the practice. Nor do the other 98 members of the U.S. Senate.
Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) is more straight forward in his defense of the practice. "We don’t have time to debate everything ... but if you object, they ought to be willing to negotiate with you. But usually, they put the press after you.”
With hotlining, the Senate majority and minority leaders agree to pass a bill without a vote. They call all senators on special hotlines installed in each office, giving a specified amount of time to object - sometimes as little as 15 minutes. If no objection is registered, the bill passes.
At stake is not simply the naming of a post office or simple procedural issues anymore. At stake are millions of dollars of tax dollar appropriations.
According to Roll Call, the Library of Congress legislative database shows just 29 of the 399 senate bills actually were read and voted on by roll call on the Senate floor, ranging from adjournment resolutions to the War in Iraq supplemental spending package.
To end this practice, Downsize DC has pushed for a Read the Bills initiative. For more information contact Downsize D.C. or phone your senator today -- he's probably in his office voting.
Information for this article was compiled by Patriot Paul of Indianapolis.
