The Two Man Vote

While the House voted to spend $26.1 billion and the President signed it the same day, Senate had a 30 minute session 2 days later looking at four pieces of legislative business. The catch, there were only two Senators present. Senator Ben Cardin (Maryland-D) in the role of presiding officer and Senator Chuck Schumer(New York-D) were the only 2 Senators at the session.

First they took care of the second reading of 2 bills that will be on the calendar when the Senate comes back in September. The bills were H.R. 5827 – Protecting Gun Own­ers in Bankrupt­cy Act of 2010 and S. 3762 – A bill to reinstate funds to Fed­er­al Land Dis­pos­al Ac­count.

Later in the 30 minute session, Cardin and Schumer passed 2 bills with unanimous con­sent. All with Schumer stating, "I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join in this important task," looking around at 99 empty seats. H.R. 6080 – Mak­ing emer­gen­cy sup­ple­men­tal appropriations for bor­der se­cu­ri­ty for the fis­cal year end­ing Septem­ber 30, 2010, and for other pur­pos­es. S. Res. 617 – Rel­a­tive to the death of the Honorable Theodore “Ted” Ful­ton Stevens, for­mer Sen­a­tor for the State of Alaska. H.R. 6080 has provisions in it for $600 Million for fences, bor­der “strike forces,” and do­mes­tic drones. President Obama will being signing it into law on Friday August 13, 2010.

What I find concerning is the fact that 2 men came back from recess to do all this. That 2 mine alone had the power to sign away $600 million without any real debate over the issue. This vote was really a taxation without representation. Where were all the other Senators?

I realize that Congress is in recess but the fact that these 2 Senators did all this brings an odd question as to why. Maybe they didn't want to face the people back home or there's something in these bills they don't want seen. Either way, where were the other Senators? Where was our representation?

I urge you to call your Senators and ask them where they were and why they weren't there representing you even in a 30 minute session. Why they weren't their voting on $600 million bill in a time that we have $13 trillion in debt. Yes the border needs to be secured but why is it that these 2 Senators found it ideal to return to DC during recess and pass this bill under the rug? Where were the other 98 Senators?