The Updated Establishment's Establishment
As Jim Bakker would say, I was wrong. Here's an update from thomas.loc.gov on the status of H. Res. 579:
12/15/2005 3:57pm:
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H11799-11800)
12/15/2005 4:06pm:
On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 401 - 22, 5 Present (Roll no. 637). (text: CR H11596)
12/15/2005 4:06pm:
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
12/15/2005 4:06pm:
The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
So the bill DID pass, and 401 Congresspeople can now claim that they voted for Christmas. The roll call is here. The naysayers were:
Ackerman
Blumenauer
Capps
Cleaver
DeGette
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Honda
Lee
Lewis (GA)
McDermott
Miller, George
Moore (WI)
Moran (VA)
Payne
Rush
Schakowsky
Scott (VA)
Stark
Wasserman Schultz
Wexler
Woolsey
Those who voted "Present" were:
Holt
Israel
Lowey
Owens
Schwartz (PA)
There are two possible reasons to have opposed this extremely important and earth-shaking resolution:
- Some may object to the text of the bill itself, thinking that Christmas should be excised from the public vocabulary.
- Others, including myself, may object to the implicit establishment conferred by the bill, which mentioned Christmas but did not explicitly mention any other religious holiday.
So let's look at the complete list of resolutions, bills, and whatnot that Jo Ann Davis has introduced this session:
1. H.CON.RES.4 : Expressing the sense of the Congress that the United States Postal Service should issue commemorative postage stamps honoring Americans who distinguished themselves by their service in the armed forces.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 1/4/2005) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Government Reform
Latest Major Action: 1/4/2005 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Government Reform.
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2. H.CON.RES.264 : Recognizing veterans who served in the Armed Forces during World War II and supporting the goals and ideals of National World War II Veterans Recognition Week.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 10/7/2005) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/7/2005 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
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3. H.CON.RES.302 : Supporting the national motto of the United States.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 11/16/2005) Cosponsors (31)
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 11/16/2005 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
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4. H.RES.43 : Urging the European Council to continue to maintain its embargo on the sales of arms to the People's Republic of China.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 1/25/2005) Cosponsors (6)
Committees: House International Relations
Latest Major Action: 3/17/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Europe and Emerging Threats.
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5. H.RES.77 : Recognizing the 10th anniversary of the New Transatlantic Agenda, acknowledging the continued importance of the transatlantic partnership between the United States and Europe, and promoting new initiatives to strengthen that partnership.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 2/9/2005) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House International Relations
Latest Major Action: 3/17/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Europe and Emerging Threats.
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6. H.RES.486 : Commending the Coast Guard for its extraordinary efforts in response to Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 10/7/2005) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Transportation and Infrastructure
Latest Major Action: 10/11/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
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7. H.RES.579 : Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the symbols and traditions of Christmas should be protected for those who celebrate Christmas.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 12/6/2005) Cosponsors (26)
Committees: House Government Reform
Latest Major Action: 12/15/2005 Passed/agreed to in House. Status: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 401 - 22, 5 Present (Roll no. 637).
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8. H.J.RES.3 : To acknowledge a long history of official depredations and ill-conceived policies by the United States Government regarding Indian tribes and offer an apology to all Native Peoples on behalf of the United States.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 1/4/2005) Cosponsors (8)
Committees: House Resources
Latest Major Action: 1/4/2005 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
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9. H.R.69 : To require assurances that certain family planning service projects and programs will provide pamphlets containing the contact information of adoption centers.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 1/4/2005) Cosponsors (40)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce
Latest Major Action: 2/4/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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10. H.R.70 : To authorize States to regulate the receipt and disposal of out-of-State municipal solid waste.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 1/4/2005) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce
Latest Major Action: 2/4/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials.
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11. H.R.71 : To support the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 1/4/2005) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Government Reform
Latest Major Action: 1/4/2005 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Government Reform.
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12. H.R.72 : To define marriage for all legal purposes in the District of Columbia to consist of the union of one man and one woman.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 1/4/2005) Cosponsors (21)
Committees: House Government Reform
Latest Major Action: 1/4/2005 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Government Reform.
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13. H.R.73 : To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of the suitability and feasibility of establishing the Northern Neck National Heritage Area in Virginia, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 1/4/2005) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Resources
Latest Major Action: 2/3/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands.
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14. H.R.74 : To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to impose limitations on wetlands mitigation activities carried out through the condemnation of private property.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 1/4/2005) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Transportation and Infrastructure
Latest Major Action: 1/5/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
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15. H.R.75 : To require the Comptroller General to prepare statements for bills and resolutions reported by committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate on whether any new entities, programs, or functions authorized by the bills or resolutions are redundant with existing Federal entities, programs, or functions and could be more efficiently performed by an existing Federal entity, program, or function, and to require such statements to accompany reports on legislation.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 1/4/2005) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Government Reform; House Rules
Latest Major Action: 1/4/2005 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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16. H.R.274 : To impose certain limitations on the receipt of out-of-State municipal solid waste, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 1/6/2005) Cosponsors (13)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce
Latest Major Action: 2/4/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials.
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17. H.R.375 : To declare, under the authority of Congress under Article I, section 8 of the Constitution to "provide and maintain a Navy", a national policy for the naval force structure required in order to "provide for the common defense" of the United States throughout the 21st century.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 1/26/2005) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 2/18/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Projection Forces.
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18. H.R.697 : To amend title 5, United States Code, to create a presumption that disability of a Federal employee in fire protection activities caused by certain conditions is presumed to result from the performance of such employee's duty.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 2/9/2005) Cosponsors (56)
Committees: House Education and the Workforce
Latest Major Action: 5/26/2005 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
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19. H.R.1337 : To support certain national youth organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 3/16/2005) Cosponsors (86)
Committees: House Government Reform; House Financial Services
Latest Major Action: 4/11/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology.
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20. H.R.2588 : To direct the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a study of the feasibility of designating the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Watertrail as a national historic trail.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 5/24/2005) Cosponsors (19)
Committees: House Resources
Latest Major Action: 5/31/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks.
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21. H.R.3785 : To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt from personal use rules the use of vacation property as a residence for persons displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 9/15/2005) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 9/15/2005 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
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22. H.R.4161 : To reiterate the responsibilities of FEMA with regard to the creation of an appeals process and the establishment of minimum training and education requirements under the Bunning-Bereuter-Blumenauer Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 10/27/2005) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Financial Services
Latest Major Action: 10/27/2005 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
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23. H.R.4326 : To authorize the Secretary of the Navy to enter into a contract for the nuclear refueling and complex overhaul of the U.S.S. Carl Vinson (CVN-70).
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 11/15/2005) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 109-104 [GPO: Text, PDF]
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24. H.AMDT.208 to H.R.1815 Amendment clarifies Federal law concerning what DOD support may be provided to youth organizations including the Boy Scouts of America.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 5/25/2005) Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 5/25/2005 House amendment agreed to. Status: On agreeing to the Davis, Jo Ann amendment Agreed to by recorded vote: 413 - 16 (Roll no. 215).
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25. H.AMDT.339 to H.R.2985 Amendment sought to strike section 1002 of the bill which prohibits the Capitol Police from operating a mounted horse unit during fiscal year 2006 or any succeeding fiscal year.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 6/22/2005) Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 6/22/2005 House amendment not agreed to. Status: On agreeing to the Davis, Jo Ann amendment Failed by recorded vote: 185 - 226 (Roll no. 300).
Now one may claim that baby seal clubbers are stupid, but I bet that a Communist sponsorship record is just as unimpressive.
I'm curious - why did item 11 on the Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts get referred to the Government Reform committee? Do we plan to have the Scouts run the country? At least the Boy Scouts, with their "Be Prepared" motto, will ensure that a Katrina disaster will never happen again. And the new levees can count as Eagle projects.
Comments
I'll have to look up that series.