New to the art form? This Wall Street Journal article will get you orientated. Also, for more information on how some of these titles mislead lawmakers and the citizenry, find some academic commentary from Brian Christopher Jones here: https://works.bepress.com/brian_jones/.

Monday, January 11, 2016

Hey...One at a Time!

Rep. Mia Love (R., UT) has introduced H.R. 4335, the One Subject at a Time Act. As you might imagine, the bill hopes to "end the practice of including more than one subject in a single bill by requiring that each bill enacted by Congress be limited to only one subject, and for other purposes". While this may not be common-place for Congress, it certainly is in the states: 41 currently have constitutional clauses regarding single-subject bills, and 15 require initiatives to address only one subject. 

The proposal as a federal constitutional amendment has been a popular one throughout the years, and recently Rep. Tom Moreno (R., PA), has filed an amendment to do just that. 

A press release for the legislation is provided below the jump. 

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News Release

From the Office of Congresswoman Mia Love

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Rep. Mia Love says Consider Bills ‘One Subject At A Time’
“Let’s Stop Legislation that includes everything but the kitchen sink”

WASHINGTON D.C. (January 11, 2016) – Congresswoman Mia Love is keeping her promise to give the people of Utah a stronger voice in the legislative process.  She has introduced a bill that would only allow legislation to contain one subject at a time.

“I continually hear from constituents about their frustration over the multi-rider, large, must pass at the 11th hour bills Washington is so fond of,” Rep. Love said.  “Congress is bundling too many things together.  My bill would change that.  Each bill should stand or fall on its own merits.”

There are numerous examples of bills that have stacked unrelated issues together in a massive bill, which has outraged the American people .

Rep. Love has introduced The One Subject at a Time Act (H.R. 4335).  Her bill would:

·         Require that each bill enacted by Congress be limited to only one subject.
·         End the practice of attaching controversial legislation to unrelated, must-pass bills.
·         Require the subject of a bill to be clearly stated in its title.
·         Make void in appropriations bills, general legislation that does not pertain to the underlying bill.
·         Make the legislative process more transparent to the public.
Congresswoman Love says this is another way she is working to bring Utah values to Washington.  Utah’s Constitution has a similar provision that states: “No bill shall be passed containing more than one subject, which shall be clearly expressed in its title.”

“Members of both parties have made a habit of passing complex, thousand page bills without hearings, amendments or debate,” Rep. Love said.  “That process and the collusion that goes with it are why we are $18 trillion in debt and why the American people have lost trust in elected officials.”