Letter to Steny Hoyer, House Majority Leader
Letter
Letter to Steny Hoyer, House Majority Leader
September 26, 2007
The Honorable Steny Hoyer
H107, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Mr. Leader:
I would like to register my strong displeasure with you about the House of Representatives abrupt adjournment at 3:00 PM today. Following the business of the House today, I was slated to have the Leadership Hour for the Republicans. As a Member of the Minority Party, we are rarely given the opportunity to speak on the House floor at length on issues of importance. The Special Order of Business that supplements the daily order of business has provided that opportunity for Members on both sides of the aisle to express their views on the issues of the day.
Since no one in the Majority Party claimed their Leadership Hour, the House adjourned subject to the call of the Chair. As a result, I was unable to make my comments during the Leadership Hour during Special Orders. When the session opened for the 110th Congress, you and Speaker Nancy Pelosi claimed that this session would be different and that we would work a five day work week. Frankly, I welcomed that change.
In reality, what I have witnessed is anything but a shell of a five day work week. I am deeply disappointed that session has yet to produce a true five day work week. Today's abrupt adjournment is yet another example of the so-called "work day" in Congress for the 110th. In addition, this sudden adjournment has once again denied the Minority Party their ability to discuss their policies and priorities on the House floor. This is unacceptable.
I was called by the Republican Cloakroom and informed that I had 5 minutes to get over to the floor for Special Orders. By the time I arrived, the House had adjourned. For those of us who leave our families and districts for a week to fly to Washington to do our jobs, we expect more. I hope that you and the Democratic Leadership will live up to your commitment to actually work a complete work week and enable members of the Minority Party to have our voices heard during Special Orders. Our constituents deserve better.
Sincerely,
Michael C. Burgess, MD
Member of Congress
cc: The Honorable John Boehner
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