Brad Shannon

Brad Shannon:
The Politics Blog

Brad Shannon maintains this blog. He is political editor at The Olympian and can be reached at 360-753-1688 or bshannon@theolympian.com.

Baird gets award for bill transparency fight

• Published October 21, 2009

UPDATED on Oct. 22: If nothing else, U.S. Rep. Brian Baird is getting recognition for his effort to push House leaders into making major bills public for 72 hours before they are voted on.

The Vancouver Democrat's spokesman put out a news release today Wednesday announcing that the nonpartisan Sunlight Foundation has given its "Sunlight on the Hill Award" to Baird and Republican Rep. John Culberson of Texas. Baird's announcement said in part:

"People should know what's in legislation before it becomes law, not after," said Congressman Baird. "The more important the bill, the more complicated it is, and the more money it spends, the less time anyone is given to review it. That is simply wrong. Both parties have been guilty, and it's time to pass my bipartisan seventy-two hour rule that will fix that problem." Congressman Baird's legislation (H. Res. 554) currently has 187 cosponsors. In September, Congressman Baird joined with Oregon Congressman Greg Walden to launch a discharge petition that would force a vote on the resolution. That petition currently has been signed by 182 Members of Congress. "Congressman Baird and Congressman Culberson are transparency trailblazers who are setting the standard for legislative transparency in the 21st century— recognizing that legislation is not truly public unless it is online," said Ellen Miller, executive director and co-founder of the Sunlight Foundation. "This resolution has bipartisan support in the House, but even more significantly, it has received the endorsement of tens of thousands of Americans who have signed Sunlight's petition at readthebill.org showing broad public support for this transparency measure."

Here's the latest on Baird's effort to get his bill discharged for a floor vote.

Baird also has said he might withhold his vote for health reform over this issue, but in a story linked by that blog post Republican challenger David Castillo of Olympia contends the congressman's decision to vote against certain bills has been a cynical ploy.

UPDATE corrects typo.

COMMENTS Community Publishing Guidelines

Join the Reader Network

Do you want The Olympian to keep you in mind when we canvass the community for opinions?

Click here and sign up with our Reader Network to offer your view.

TOP JOBS

All Top Jobs  »