Legistlative Activities for Congressman McDermott

time spent: 25 minutes

For the longest time I put off using my highly coveted vacation time to visit the likes of Washington D.C., when my preference clearly involved travel to Europe. Finally, two years ago, budget and time constraints presented the opportunity to rethink this. In order to maximize my trip I decided to read a book on the American Revolution to get a refresh on the key figures, battles and decisions made in the founding of our country. When we finally arrived at Washington D.C., it became apparent almost immediately that this was going to be a fantastic experience and it was. To put things in perspective realize that just about every tourist attraction is free. Moreover, the catalogue of information and national treasure has got to be among the finest in the world. I personally validated the claim that it is virtually impossible to take in all our Capital has to offer in a single trip. My indulgence in posting this reflection was triggered by the very fond memories of visiting such places as the Library of Congress.

It is from the Library of Congress that I am able to locate the legislative activities of Congressman McDermott thanks to the electronic cataloguing on the web (the congressman's website also offers a direct link) http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/?&Db=d111&querybd=@FIELD(FLD003+@4((@1(Rep+McDermott++Jim))+00766)).

The search results of bills and resolutions associated with Representative McDermott illuminated for me how many activities a congressman get involved in, some of them surprising to say the least. For example, I was surprised to see a House Resolution (H.R. 517) congratulating the University of Washington's women's softball team for winning the 2009 College World Series. Then there was H.R. 750 congratulating Seattle Mariner Ichiro Suzuki for becoming the first player in the history of Major League Baseball with at least 200 base hits in 9 consecutive seasons.

Not to take away anything from these fine athletes, but the first thought I had when I saw this was, really? We're paying our congressmen and women to bestow formal congratulations on team sports? To explore this question further I revisited the U.S. Constitution outlaying the duties of a congressman:

http://www.house.gov/house/Constitution/Constitution.html

Section. 8.

Clause 1: The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

Clause 2: To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

Clause 3: To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

Clause 4: To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

Clause 5: To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

Clause 6: To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

Clause 7: To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

Clause 8: To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

Clause 9: To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

Clause 10: To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;

Clause 11: To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

Clause 12: To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

Clause 13: To provide and maintain a Navy;

Clause 14: To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

Clause 15: To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

Clause 16: To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

Clause 17: To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;--And

Clause 18: To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

Hmmm....nope, don't see it here. Moving on, I continued my search for bills that affected me more directly. I was both pleased and relieve to find that the majority of bills posted were more broadly in the interest of our nation than the aforementioned "hearty congratulations". Having many to choose from, I decided I would select one that particularly addressed my community (or state) and another that affected the nation as a whole.

That said, my next step is to select one of each topic from the vast list of bills.