Garrett Files Resolution to Amend House Rules, Give Members Time to Review Every Act Diligently

Statement

Congressman Tom Garrett, today issued the following statement upon introducing the Review Every Act Diligently In Total (READ IT) Act to amend House rules to provide members of Congress a minimum period of time to read a bill after it is introduced:

"Our Founding Fathers created a representative democracy. It follows that elected legislators can't adequately represent their constituents' views if their representatives don't have the chance to weigh in on a bill or let alone an opportunity to review it."

"If you knew where to look, you might have been able to find the massive 2,232 Omnibus Appropriations bill when it was released by House Leadership at 8:00 p.m. last night."

"Today, many if not most members of Congress voted on a massive 2,232-page Omnibus spending bill with only 18 hours to review it. At about two minutes per page; without food or sleep, it would take over 74 hours to review. This must stop. There should never again be a, "pass it to find out what's in it moment.' The previous Omnibus bill was 1,665 pages and House Leadership gave our colleagues less than 48 hours to decide on whether or not to add $1 trillion to the national debt."

"The READ IT Act is nothing short of an effort to give members of the House the chance to be a truly deliberative and representative democratic institution."

"This will create a more transparent government and give our House colleagues on both sides of the aisle ample opportunity to advance legislation with full knowledge of its implications."

Read the full bill text here.

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