HB 27-06: Congressional Reform Resolution (Passed)

[Poirot]

I'd still like to hear your feedback on this, although I'm frankly inclined to add a brief debate period anyway.

I don't know if it changes much. If it's to let a few people say they want to modify something in a bill and a majority doesn't care and skip debate, it's not really a legislative process.

My goal is not to obstruct, it's to let elected officials play their role, to work on every bill. If a bill on a topic that interests me arrives and would like to work on it, and a majority (could be 4 people) decide there will be no debate, how fun is that. You are removing my right to propose amendments and debate and work on all bills in legislature.

It could have been discussed in backrooms but I didn't know people were complaining. Maybe we can change some rules to speed things up or ask to do a quick debate and try to only modify the bill for major changes and not minor things. Or we could move to vote on cloture more quickly. We could try things so we don't go to skipping debate

I didn't like the bicameral choice, and it was not very popular back then and it doesn't seem to be now. Maybe this skipping debate change will lead to show it's not important to have two chambers.

[Mike Thick]

What if we made a final vote automatic in the second chamber after a certain amount of time (maybe 96 hours? Shorter? Longer), and let the chamber waive that via five people signing onto a petition if they wanted to keep debating? There would still be a pretty substantial amount of time to debate, but you wouldn't have bills languishing on the floor forever like the Fossil Fuels one has, as long as the VP's/Deputy President of Congress are on the ball. I don't think the details surrounding things like amendment votes would be too tough to iron out.

[Joseph Cao]

Closing the vote. By a vote of 2-5-1-1, the amendment fails.

[Mike Thick]

I’ve been a little distracted tonight and last night, owing to a couple of IRL political events I’m sure nobody has heard about. Just checking in here because I would love some thoughts on my last idea before I potentially introduce another amendment.

[Poirot]

What if we made a final vote automatic in the second chamber after a certain amount of time (maybe 96 hours? Shorter? Longer), and let the chamber waive that via five people signing onto a petition if they wanted to keep debating? There would still be a pretty substantial amount of time to debate, but you wouldn't have bills languishing on the floor forever like the Fossil Fuels one has, as long as the VP's/Deputy President of Congress are on the ball. I don't think the details surrounding things like amendment votes would be too tough to iron out.

The VP administer House slots according to House rules I imagine. I read the House rules and there are different ways to speed up and terminate debate.
We can lift the minimum debate requirement with unanimity.
Two thirds of votes to pass cloture when debate lasted less than 7 days.
A simple majority after 7 days.
And a vote is not even required after 7 days of debate when there is no debate for 48 hours. 

3.) When legislation has been on the floor for more than 72 hours, any representatives may call for a vote on said legislation. The presiding officer shall open a vote if no other member of the House of Representatives objects within 24 hours of the call for a vote. The presiding officer may disregard an objection to a call for a vote if the objecting representative fails to provide an explanation containing atleast 30 characters. If the legislation has been on the floor for up to 168 hours, a two-thirds majority shall be needed to pass cloture. If the legislation has been on the floor for more than 168 hours, or debate has ceased for 24 hours, a simple majority shall be needed to pass cloture. The presiding officer shall then, at their sole discretion, either open votes on pending amendments followed by a final vote, or void pending amendments and move to an immediate final vote. If legislation has been on the floor for more than 168 hours and debate has ceased for at least 48 hours, a vote shall not be required to pass cloture.

There are already ways to cut debate. I prefer giving one week of debate before a majority can move  to a vote rather than the proposal of voting to have debate or not. At least it gives the chance for all to debate. The current rules can be used when there is a backlog or something is urgent, it gives flexibility, in other times can extend debate time. I think we can operate with warnings of not spending too much time on a particular bill so speak up early and avoid not being respectful and cut debate to move to a vote without cloture vote like the rules allow.

[SevenEleven]

There's no need for further amendments here. I think we should vote soon.

[Sestak]

Real quick, can you guys take my name off this? Not saying this because of opposition to the resolution itself (don't really have an opinion on it), but it isn't really close to anything I've proposed before etc. like the original was. To tell the truth, I hadn't realized my name was on this until now.

[SevenEleven]

This shouldn't be a problem. Formally changing the name to "Congressional Reform Resolution".

[Mike Thick]

One last amendment to formally change the name and add a discussion period. Last one, unless I'm missing something obvious. I know people are ready to get this off the floor, but I think this is important.

A RESOLUTION
To reduce gridlock and streamline Congressional rule changes

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives and Senate assembled:

Section 1. Title

1. This legislation may be cited as the J.K. Sestak Congressional Reform Resolution of 2021.

Section 2. Amendment to Senate Rules

1. Article 11 of the New Senate Rules Resolution is amended to read as follows.

...
5.) Whenever either house shall consider a bill, order, or resolution that shall have originated in the other, the President of the Congress shall immediately call a vote in that house on whether to immediately pass the legislation, or further debate it.
a.) The President of Congress shall maintain a single thread in which to preside over these votes as held by both houses, and shall regularly update the title of the thread to inform the Congress of what legislation is being considered in which house.
b.) Should the house vote to debate the legislation further, debate shall proceed in a separate thread as established elsewhere in these rules.

People's Regional Senate
Passed 4-2 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled,

Section 3. Amendment to House Rules

1. Article 10 of the House of the Representatives Rules and Procedures for Operation is amended to read as follows.

...
5.) Whenever either house shall consider a bill, order, or resolution that shall have originated in the other, following a 48-hour period in which Congress may discuss, but not formally move to modify, the legislation, the President of the Congress shall immediately call a vote in that house on whether to immediately pass the legislation, or further debate it.
a.) Should the house vote to debate the legislation further, debate shall proceed in a separate thread as established elsewhere in these rules.
b.) These votes shall be known as "initial cloture" votes.

[Mike Thick]

To be clear, absent sponsor feedback (which would be nice) members have 24 hours to object.

[SevenEleven]

Friendly, though I'm not sure a 48 hour period is necessary, it doesn't seem too bad and we can always move around in case of an emergency.

[Mike Thick]

Seeing no objections, the amendment is adopted. Would smile upon a motion to bring this to a final vote.

[Poirot]

I am proposing an amendment.
I'm adding a condition. The expedited process would apply when there is more than one piece of legislation (bill, resolution, amendment) in the queue. If there isn't a queue the House has the time to examine and debate every bill. There is no need to avoid getting the legislation on the floor.

Section 3. Amendment to House Rules

1. Article 10 of the House of the Representatives Rules and Procedures for Operation is amended to read as follows.

...
5.) Whenever either house shall consider a bill, order, or resolution that shall have originated in the other and there is more than one piece of legislation in the queue, following a 48-hour period in which Congress may discuss, but not formally move to modify, the legislation, the President of the Congress shall immediately call a vote in that house on whether to immediately pass the legislation, or further debate it.
a.) Should the house vote to debate the legislation further, debate shall proceed in a separate thread as established elsewhere in these rules.
b.) These votes shall be known as "initial cloture" votes.

[Mike Thick]

24 hours for objections to Poirot’s amendment.

[OBD]

Objection.

As soon as this clears objection vote I motion for final vote.

[Mike Thick]

Objection.

As soon as this clears objection vote I motion for final vote.

As the amendment has been objected to, we will now vote on its adoption. Representatives, please vote aye, nay, or abstain.

[SevenEleven]

Nay.

[OBD]

Nay

[Mike Thick]

For the record, I don't support this. I've tried to address people's concerns with the proposal, and I think it's a better bill for our efforts, but I don't think we need to change anything else.

[Left Wing]

Nay

[Harvey Updyke Jr🌹]

Nay

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

Nay

[Mike Thick]

Amendment has the votes to fail. 24 hours to vote or change votes.

[Poirot]

aye
If there are no bills coming from the Senate that are on the waiting list I see no reason to adopt Senate bills without being brought to the floor.

(I'm realizing maybe I was not clear, it's if there is more than one bill in the queue for the bills coming from the Senate and their five slots I believe).

[Poirot]

Would it change people's mind if I write:

"and there is more than one piece of legislation in the queue for the Senate passed legislation slots"

That is when the no debate vote could happen, because there are bills waiting. In other times we have time to properly debate. I forgot to add the queue was for Senate passed legislation because the sentence started with bills originated in the other house.