Steven Holt: “My amendment seeks to address a problem we face here in the legislative branch: the congressional supply of pocket-sized…”

“My amendment seeks to address a problem we face here in the legislative branch: the congressional supply of pocket-sized copies of the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence is exhausted. My amendment reduces and then reinserts $218,379 from the budget for the Government Printing Office to address this shortage so that they can provide these pocket Constitutions and Declarations. It is the exact cost of the last printing of the pocket version of the Constitution. But the money is not the root of the problem. The funding exists to print more pocket Constitutions today or tomorrow. What is lacking is the authority for the Government Printing Office to do so. The approval of this amendment appears to be the best parliamentary approach that we have right now to solve this immediate problem. Last week, as I prepared to visit a school in New Jersey where we would hold a ceremony of oath of citizenship for new citizens, I asked my staff to make sure we had pocket Constitutions to distribute to them. I always carry one. I find many of my constituents want to as well. When I discovered that the supply was exhausted and none have been printed for this Congress, I thought we should address that problem now. Except for the dozens of copies that might be on a shelf in Members' offices or the few that are in a bag in the back of my station wagon, Members find that they cannot get these pocket Constitutions for love nor money.…”