I give you House Resolution 847, passed last Thursday a year ago (updated; see comments). I can’t bring myself to quote the whole thing here, though it’s short, so I’ll just present the title:
Recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith
The resolution has sixty co-sponsors, nearly all (surprise!) Republican. Its history is here:
- 12/6/2007
- Introduced in House
- 12/6/2007
- Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- 12/11/2007 1:03pm
- Mr. Meeks (NY) moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended.
- 12/11/2007 1:04pm
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H15233-15234)
- 12/11/2007 1:04pm
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Res. 847.
- 12/11/2007 1:13pm
- At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- 12/11/2007 6:52pm
- Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H15274)
- 12/11/2007 7:01pm
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- 12/11/2007 7:01pm
- On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 372 - 9, 10 Present (Roll no. 1143). (text: CR H15233)
- 12/11/2007
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 372 - 9, 10 Present (Roll no. 1143).
So, two things:
- This is what they think they should be spending their time on?
- Isn’t a congressional resolution to declare “the importance of [...] the Christian faith” bordering on a violation of the establishment clause of the first amendment?[1] This is what we’re paying their annual salaries of $165,200 to have them do, while American citizens are out of work in numbers not seen in 14 years.
Maybe HR 847 will make the unemployed among us feel better. Maybe it will give some of the 6.5% of us who are out of work the opportunity to buy Christmas gifts for their loved ones. You think?
[1] I say “bordering”, because a resolution is not a law, and the first amendment says that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,” so they’re not technically in violation.
2 comments:
But... reprehensible as this is, it was passed a year ago, not last week.
They're all far more responsible now.
Doh!
How did I stare at all those "2007" dates and miss that? Now I'm the one with egg nog on his face.
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