(AP) The last House vote before a vacation usually sparks a stampede toward the doors and waiting planes. Not so on Friday, when Republicans occupied the House floor for a rare, and at times bizarre, protest against Democratic energy policies.
The microphones were off, the House had stopped TV feeds to C-Span and the lights dimmed after the pre-noon vote to adjourn for the August recess. That didn't deter Republicans, who one after another rose to demand that Congress stay in session until it does something about high gas prices.
Unlike a normal session where the rules of decorum are strictly enforced, GOP lawmakers and their aides who filled the chamber clapped, chanted, gave standing ovations and booed the Democrats.
"Madame Speaker, where art thou?" shouted out Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, in a glancing rhetorical shot at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. "Where oh where has Congress gone?"
It was a rare treat for tourists. Republicans invited many, in their shorts and sandals, into the chamber, usually strictly off-limits, to better hear the revivalist-like speeches.
The talkathon finally ended around 5:00 p.m. EDT, more than five hours after it began and 30 minutes after police escorted tourists out of the chamber. The Capitol closes to tourists at 4:30 p.m. In a grand finale, lawmakers led a roomful of aides in a rendition of "God Bless America" and walked off to chants of "USA, USA."
The event, said Rep. John Shadegg of Arizona, one of the organizers with Reps. Mike Pence of Indiana and Tom Price of Georgia, was "the equivalent of the Boston Tea Party over the energy issue."
Republicans are angry that Democrats blocked them from a vote on allowing more offshore oil drilling and increasing domestic oil supplies.
Democrats have faulted Republicans for obstructing their efforts to stop market speculation, press oil companies to develop the leases they have and force the president to release oil from the strategic petroleum reserve. The result is that Congress is leaving town without a comprehensive energy bill.
EMAIL YOUR SENATORS AND CONGRESSMAN AND ASK THEM IF THEY'RE PLANNING ANY ROAD TRIPS DURING THEIR "VACATION", AND IF NOT, WHY NOT? By the way, how many vacation days do YOU get a year?
2 comments:
The Rebulicans should show up tomorrow morning and keep up the debate until Bush forces the low life Democrats to act like adults.
Glenn Beck is collecting pitch forks to send to Congress to shovel the bullcrap out. Their 9% rating is the lowest since records have been kept. The leadership (Pelosi and Reid) are doing everything they can to drag this economy down till the election, but the Republicans have put forth little effort till this little show on Friday. They lost the majority (Repubs) in 04 due to their inaction, lost in the mid-terms, and are gonna lose bigtime this year.
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