Bill Barrett: “I hope your recent comments about bringing a congressional reform bill to the floor this spring, truly reflect a…”

“I hope your recent comments about bringing a congressional reform bill to the floor this spring, truly reflect a commitment to jump starting our reform efforts. The recommendations from the Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress are very basic, obvious reforms, like having Congress comply with the laws we pass. They should receive broad, bipartisan support. But if we are going to make real changes around here, then those recommendations must only be our starting point, and start we must. We should have the chance to openly debate the additional, and very significant proposals for change, upon which the Joint Committee could not agree. Those include such basics as improving the ratio of Democrats to Republicans on committees and committee staff, the elimination of proxy voting, and limiting committee chairs to 3 terms; to name but a few. Just as I read your comments in the press about the year's schedule, I read of your desire to improve the image of Congress. It is obvious, Mr. Speaker, where to start. Let us clean up our act first, and as soon as possible.”