Herb Kohl: “I rise today as an original cosponsor of the Congressional Accountability Act. Since at least the passage of the 1964…”

“I rise today as an original cosponsor of the Congressional Accountability Act. Since at least the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, there has been an insidious and growing perception among the American people that Congress considers itself above the law, that we enact legislation which applies to everyone but ourselves. Some have joked that if it could, Congress would exempt itself from the law of gravity. This trend--unless it is arrested and ultimately reversed--is destructive of the bedrock notion that ours is a system of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. I recognize that there are legitimate Constitutional and policy concerns which must be considered in addressing the overall issue of placing Congress under laws which apply to the private sector and/or the executive branch. I am satisfied that the Congressional Accountability Act maintains our system of separation of powers and checks and balances while bringing Congress under the provisions of the civil rights laws, labor legislation, and laws providing rights of access to certain information that are specified in the Act. This is clearly an act whose time has come. Its enactment will go a long way toward rebuilding the bonds of trust between the people and their government. I urge my colleagues to support the Congressional Accountability Act.”