Thursday, March 18, 2010

Ain't No Lie...

So ever wonder what happens during a congressional session? My guess used to be it was a bunch of representatives sitting around in their chairs during long hearings only getting potty/food breaks periodically. Additionally, I **assumed** these hearings would contain **crucial** bill proposals... y'know, bills that would make a difference, or change the way we live, etc. I guess I tend to think BIG. Cuz here's the truth and it ain't no lie. Much of the time during a congressional session is spent on stuff that **most** of the general public couldn't care less about. Not to say these bill proposals aren't important to SOMEBODY, because obviously they are.

One of my recent Poli-Sci assignments was to "Research the History of a Bill" and report on it. In searching for Just.The.Right.Bill, I came across several that I was like, hmmm. really? they used my tax dollars to spend time on this? Again, not saying it's not important... guess I just never knew.

Here are just a few from THIS current congressional session:

1 - H.R.621 : To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the centennial of the establishment of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America. Became Public Law No: 111-86

Guess that means we'll be getting some GSA coins soon. Not that this bugs me, I just never knew this required a great deal of proposal and discussion. I guess I always assumed someone in office was like, "Let's make a new coin!" and then someone else was like, "Okay...!" hehehe.

2 - H.R.663 : To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 12877 Broad Street in Sparta, Georgia, as the "Yvonne Ingram-Ephraim Post Office Building". Became Public Law No: 111-26



Am I supposed to know who Yvonne Ingram-Ephraim is? And the House spent time on deciding whether or not to name the local Sparta P.O. after her? I actually saw at least a dozen requests to name Post Office buildings after people. Who knew?

3 - H.R.4314 : To permit continued financing of Government operations. Became Public Law No: 111-123

Ummm... Could you be a little MORE vague???

4 - H.J.RES.40 : To honor the achievements and contributions of Native Americans to the United States, and for other purposes. Became Public Law No: 111-33

Wow... who knew we needed to pass a BILL to make it LEGAL for the US Government to honor someone???

There were also TONS of bill proposals to Honor High Schools and Colleges because they took first in a specific state event. I'm thinking this is just some letter signed by the pres or something...who knows. But there were TONS of bill proposals like that. Oh, and also there was one (which I cannot locate now) that proposed the "use of the white house grounds for an Easter Egg Hunt". LOL!!!

Tax dollars at work...

6 comments:

Susie said...

And they wonder why they can't get anything real done? They should have some sub-committee doing all that other stuff.

Puphigirl said...

I'm just a bill, yes I'm only a bill and I'm sitting here at capital hill.

Rhonda said...

love the pic! ha ha

Yah, tax dollars are so useful for them. Have I told you what they do in Phx? Tax dollars pay for someone to go up to my moms door, knock on it, and tell her that her city garbage can is dirty at the bottom. Yah, it's a GARBAGE CAN. But he told her that she had to clean it. I cannot believe in this economy they are paying someone to be the garbage can cleanliness monitor. Unreal.

Ruthykins said...

this is why i don't watch cspan. i think i'd bore myself into a coma. nice post though. at least here i can read something dumb and then read something funny from you.

Anonymous said...

Government at work... boring. There are so many important issues but these are the bills that get passed.

Alice in Wonderland said...

We here in England are just coming up to a General Election, and it is just the same here.
Personally I refuse to vote simple because I am not going to pay for someone else's second mansion in the country.
To be honest, I don't know that much about American Politics, but I do know what goes on in this country. Now they are all on the band-wagon targeting first-time voters.
One "party" is as bad as the other... and I know this from the horses mouth because I used to be quite friendly with a politician called Dawn Premorola, and she was all on her high-horse about Women's Rights! Of course, nothing ever got done!