more on HR 3997 (failed “bailout” bill)
House bills are well into the 7000′s by this time of year. So why the low bill number on the failed bailout bill? Well, It’s nothing other than a little legislative standard mischief (insert Ben Franklin quote here).
Apparently, what we have here is a bill that had already been passed by the House and handed over to the Senate which also passed it with changes. Normally then the bills go into what’s called a conference committee, to become a unified bill that both houses must again vote on. It’s in here that the magic happens.
The bill was amended in committee with the bulk of the bailout language. Things are done this way because coming out of Conference committee makes a bill harder to amend.
*Poof*, the “Defenders of Freedom Tax Relief Act of 2007″ becomes the “Corporate Welfare for Irresponsible Lenders and Others That Cook Their Books – Anti-House of Cards Act of 2008″*
I should also note that the quick and dirty word count I did yesterday could be wildly off. I forgot that even though we have this “transparency in government” fad, the text of Bills before Congress does not make it into THOMAS until several days after the vote. Since the critters themselves could not possibly read the legislation before they vote on it, I suppose it’s an article of faith that the language of the Bills remain unchanged on their way from Congress to the President’s desk for signature.
* just kidding on the name
