As of June 21 2011, the following twenty-four members of the House of Representatives still have failed to introduce a single bill or amendment for consideration by the 112th Congress. Most members of Congress in their first year have introduced legislation, but a few are still laggards. Members in their first term who have not [...]

Through the 111th Congress of 2009-2010 and into the 112th Congress of 2011-2012, an urban myth regarding the U.S. Congress has been making the rounds. HB 1388, the story goes in bulletin board posts by Hutaree Tina Stone and in e-mails ricocheting about the Internet, has just been passed by Democratic legislators and signed into [...]

“Taxpayers have a right to have a federal government that does not grow beyond their ability to pay for it.” – Michele Bachmann, March 2007 “In my district people want a strong fiscal conservative. My husband and I believe in getting your house in order financially. There are people here in D.C. who appear to [...]

The Tea Party movement and the national organizations claiming to represent it have repeatedly asserted the importance of limited government. A number of politicians were elected to Congress in 2010 by surfing atop the wave of Tea Party cries to protect the Constitution. Today, the commitment of those politicians to limited constitutional government was put [...]

The Library of Congress has just rolled out a list of the 100 most active legislators in the history of the U.S. Congress, measured by bills introduced. The Top 100 list is filled with stellar names from history that you should recognize, from Claude Pepper of the House to Jesse Helms of the Senate (apparently [...]

“I can’t believe what a stupid amendment this is.” So spoke Rep. Sam Farr during debate regarding H.Amdt. 343, an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act introduced by Rep. Chip Cravaack which would not only defund the US Institute of Peace but abolish it altogether. The amendment simply reads: “SEC. 12xx. REPEAL OF UNITED [...]

As of May 31 2011, the following thirty-four members of the U.S. House of Representatives have not introduced a single bill or amendment for consideration in the 112th Congress. Members in their first term who have not introduced a single bill or amendment: Dan Beniskek of Michigan, conservative Republican Rick Berg of North Dakota, conservative [...]

On the afternoon of May 26 2011, 234 members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted down an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. This amendment, sponsored by Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan, would have removed Section 1034 of the NDAA, a new provision to issue a blanket authorization for the President to engage [...]

Section 1034 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2011 gives the President of the United States perpetual authority to use military force anywhere in the world that the President believes holds terrorists. Section 1034 abrogates Congress’ constitutional authority and duty under Article I Section 8 of the United States Constitution to declare war. In [...]

The four cosponsors of H.R. 423, a bill to keep the addresses of members of Congress private: Joe Baca (Democrat-CA District 43)Ted Deutch (Democrat-FL District 19)Jeff Fortenberry (Republican-NE District 1)Jared Polis (Democrat-CO District 2) Of these four, those which voted YES on H.R. 514, a bill to reauthorize the Patriot Act and revoke the privacy [...]