A Call for Accountability and Reform in Congress

[BrittNich21 (Brittnay Nicholas)]

Too many Americans feel disconnected from the decisions being made in Washington, and I believe the following reforms would help restore trust in Congress and strengthen our democracy.

1. Single-Item Legislation: Each bill should address only one issue. Combining unrelated measures into large, complicated packages allows controversial provisions to pass without proper scrutiny.

2. Ban on Congressional Stock Trading: Members of Congress and their immediate families should be prohibited from buying or selling individual stocks while in office to prevent any appearance—or reality—of insider advantage.

3. End Corporate Lobbying: Corporate lobbying and political donations distort priorities and drown out the voices of ordinary Americans.

4. Term and Age Limits: No elected official should serve indefinitely. Congress should have both term limits and an upper age limit consistent with the standard retirement age.

5. Public Oversight of Congressional Pay Raises: Lawmakers should not vote on their own salaries. Any proposed pay increase should appear on the ballot for approval by the citizens of each district or state.

6. Accountability During Government Shutdowns: During a shutdown, members of Congress should work daily—8 a.m. to 10 p.m., including weekends—until the government reopens. They should not receive pay while federal workers and families go without income or benefits.

7. No Dual Citizenship for Members of Congress: Those who serve should owe sole allegiance to the United States. Holding citizenship in another nation should make one ineligible for congressional office.

8. Equal Access to Healthcare: Members of Congress should have the same healthcare coverage options available to the general public, not special or superior plans.

9. Income Tied to Constituents: Congressional salaries should match the median income of their district or state. Lawmakers would then have a direct incentive to improve their constituents’ economic wellbeing.

10. Truth and Accountability in Public Communication: When addressing the public or the press, members of Congress should be considered under oath. Knowingly lying to the American people should carry real legal consequences.

These reforms would demonstrate that Congress serves the people—not itself. I hope you will take these proposals seriously and work to introduce or support legislation that reflects these principles.

[MKSJ]

@BrittNich21

Term and Age Limits: No elected official should serve indefinitely. Congress should have both term limits and an upper age limit consistent with the standard retirement age.

While I agree with term limits, I absolutely disagree on age limits.

For some people, age really is just a number, and with actual term limits age limits would have no real purpose.

@BrittNich21

Income Tied to Constituents: Congressional salaries should match the median income of their district or state. Lawmakers would then have a direct incentive to improve their constituents’ economic wellbeing.

This very much feels like one of those “Feel-good sounds good on paper” policies that falls apart if tried to be applied in practice.

@BrittNich21

Truth and Accountability in Public Communication: When addressing the public or the press, members of Congress should be considered under oath. Knowingly lying to the American people should carry real legal consequences.

If they already ignore their oath of office already, what is this supposed to do?

[SBinTN (Steve Black)]

We already have term limits, they are called elections. How about fixing our elections so they are competitive? End gerrymandering, use a computer algorithm that is blind to race, gender & party affiliation to draw district boundaries. Get back to voters choosing politicians rather than politicians choosing their voters.

Prohibit out of state / out of district political contributions to any house or senate candidate to reduce the financial power of incumbency.

Congress hasn’t passed a budget on time since 1997. How about the timely budget act:

Congress goes into session on October 1st and remains continually in session 12 hours/day, 7 days/week until congress passes the 12 appropriations bills required to fund the federal government. During the time between October 1st and the last appropriations bills required to being passed congress shall undertake no other business other than a declaration of war. Appropriations bills shall be single topic (no complex multi topics / multi agency bills.

Should the total of the 12 appropriations bills exceed the projected federal revenue the chairman & ranking member of each appropriations committee shall be removed from their positions and be ineligible to hold any congressional leadership position. Should congress not pass the 12 appropriations bills by September 30th the members of the appropriations committees which did not get their work done and shall become ineligible for reelection.