Your Tax Dollars At Work, Pt 1

One of the things I do for work is monitor healthcare legislation. I find it fascinating to read the daily files of our legislators. On this particular day they were in session from 10:30 am to 10:01 pm. It is not at all clear to me that they did anything productive. For example: (You have to start at the bottom & read up - I'm not sure why but it's the government so I guess that explains it.) They spent 80 minutes debating 2 resolutions to rename post offices. Now perhaps I'm missing something but this doesn't seem like an effective use of time to me. Especially when I'm paying for it. You'll note I called this post Pt 1. I think this could be a very long series - tomorrow I'll have a really neat one for you!

LEGISLATIVE DAY OF SEPTEMBER 9, 2008
110TH CONGRESS - SECOND SESSION

Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Clay moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

H.R. 6169:

to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 15455 Manchester Road in Ballwin, Missouri, as the "Specialist Peter J. Navarro Post Office Building"

2:14 P.M. -

At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Ehlers objected to the Yea - Nay vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.

2:07 P.M. -

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6169.

Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Davis (IL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

H.R. 6168:

to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 112 South 5th Street in Saint Charles, Missouri, as the "Lance Corporal Drew W. Weaver Post Office Building"

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.

2:01 P.M. -

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6168.

Just to reiterate, I'm pretty ignorant politically so perhaps I'm totally misunderstanding all this. If so, please enlighten me! Otherwise I'm going to write a letter soon asking for a rebate on my taxes.

If you're interested, you can go to the website of the Office of the Clerk and click on a highlighted day on the calendar. That will take you to the proceedings for that day.