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Lawmakers Debate House Rules
(IRN)-You may have heard this one before from your local lawmaker; "I can't get my bill out of the Rules Committee." It's part of what some, usually minority Republicans, say is absolute power by the Democrats, chiefly House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago).

In previous years, a bill could move out of the Rules Committee only by a unanimous House vote; that is, one person could stop it. What's proposed now is to change that to a three fifths vote, but with a twist: three fifths of each political party’s membership in the House.

During a hearing Monday in the House Rules Committee, Republicans argued a three fifths majority, 71 members, should be enough, regardless of party affiliation. Representative Mike Tryon (R-Crystal Lake) said after the hearing, "Nowhere in the Constitution does it mention the word (that) you have to have a majority of a political caucus to consider something."

The rules go to the full House for a vote.

HR 35 passed the House Rules Committee.

HR 23 failed the House Rules Committee.

(Source: Illinois Radio Network)
02 08 11 by Newsroom
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