A majority of our bills that Congress votes on today, are filled with “pork” and “fluff” items that would never get passed on their own.
Never again should Congress be forced to vote on a 2,000+ page bill that no one was given enough time to read and dissect. One line in a bill like that, could disrupt millions of Americans livelihoods. Not to mention, infringe on our God-given rights.
The proposed solution is that all bills voted on by Congress should be of a single subject. A step further, they should all be one page or shorter so that there is always enough time to read and understand the proposed bill and any consequences that could come from it.
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Thank you all for the added comments, ideas, and help in turning this post into a policy proposal that Americans want to come together on! I’ve turned the suggestions into an outlined policy proposal below. I’m looking forward to more feedback in how we can get this policy ready for President Trump and his team to review and take action in his next administration.
Single Subject Rule for Legislation:
Every bill introduced in Congress must address only one subject, clearly stated in its title.
Length Limitation on Bills:
All legislative bills should be limited to one page in length to ensure clarity and brevity.
Plain Language Requirement:
Legislation must be drafted in common, understandable English, avoiding technical jargon to the extent possible, to ensure all citizens can comprehend the law.
Universal Application of Laws:
No law can exempt Congress, its members, or any other group from its application. All laws must apply equally to all citizens.
Effectiveness Metrics:
Each bill must include clear criteria for measuring its success or effectiveness once enacted.
Sunset Clauses for All Legislation:
-Every bill must include a sunset clause, setting an expiration date, unless explicitly renewed by a vote. This ensures that laws are periodically reviewed for relevance and effectiveness, with the opportunity for renewal based on performance and need.
In-Person Voting and Reading Requirement:
Members of Congress must be physically present to vote on bills, and each bill must be read, either in part or whole, aloud in Congress before voting.
Daily Voting Limit:
Establish a daily cap on the number of bills that can be brought to a vote to ensure adequate time for review and debate.
Descriptive Naming and Categorization of Bills:
Bills should be named based on their actual content and purpose, not for political appeal. Include category and subcategory labels for clarity.
Constitutional Justification:
Every bill must include a section at the end citing the constitutional authority for the proposed legislation.
Public Accessibility:
All bills, once introduced, should be made easily accessible in their full form online for public viewing before any vote.
This a must. Single issue bills to stop Politicians from porking out their wishes within a bill and also using porky bills to accuse their enemies for being against them.
Yes, single issue bills are a must. If they can’t be as short as a page, there needs to be a plain English executive summary attached that states specifically what the issues are that the bill is addressing, and how it’s effectiveness should be evaluated over time.
Absolutely! However, I dont think limiting it to one page is necessary. The idea of keeping is simple is great, but just in case something is more complex, one page may not be enough.
I will be putting this up seperately too. In addition to requiring all bills to be about a single issue, short and in plain English, all members of congress should have sit through the reading of each bill. It is unconscionable that congress can and does waive the reading of most bills and congressmen can vote without ever knowing what the bill they are voting on will actually do.
All of these restrictions would have to be codified rather than being left in the internal operating rules of congress.
I proposed in the Liberty section a constitutional amendment to allow the public to repeal a bill. Or to pass or repeal a constitutional amendment.
This would allow us to go around congress ourselves and pass any common sense laws like this very quickly.
Another similar thing proposed is called a “line item veto” allowing the president to strike individual items or reduce spending from a spending bill.
To add to this. There needs to be an end of “riders” in bills. It is absurd that congress sneaks in random items not related to a bill. If a bill is about a topic. Everything in that bill better be about that issue and not some item a congressman is trying to get funded so he can hook up his buddies.
I support single-issue bills in Congress because they promote transparency and accountability in the legislative process. By focusing on one issue at a time, it becomes easier for both lawmakers and the public to understand the content and impact of each bill, reducing the chance of unrelated provisions being hidden. This approach also helps prevent political maneuvering that can complicate the passage of necessary legislation, leading to clearer, more straightforward lawmaking that addresses specific issues without unnecessary complications or added costs.
This is very important to stop the hiding of money laundering to special interest groups. It also puts a spot light on what the representatives are voting on. Will also put a curb on the inside trading that is going on. On the flip side the house has a rule for single item bills and they still don’t follow that rule.
This is so fantastic that they won’t vote on it. I wonder if it can be done by Executive Orders. This will actually force congress to focus on real issues, which they never do. Fantastic post.