10 Congressmen Sue Bush Over, He Signed Bill That Didn't Pass

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Thu, 27 Apr 2006 16:27:04 -0700 (PDT)

10 Congressmen Sue Bush Over He Signed Bill That Didn't Pass

Congressmen sue to block implementation of law that didn't pass House

 

 

 

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Congressmen_sue_to_block_implementation_of_042\

7.html

 

 

10 Congressmen Sue Bush Over He Signed Bill That Didn't Pass

Congressmen sue to block implementation of law that didn't pass House

 

 

RAW STORY

 

Published: Thursday April 27, 2006

 

Ten members of the U.S. House of Representatives will file a lawsuit

tomorrow seeking to block implementation of a budget law as signed by

President George W. Bush, RAW STORY has learned.

 

In February, the President signed a version of the " Deficit Reduction

Act " that never passed the House. The draft signed by Bush omitted

provisions from the version that passed the House that required the

government pay for 36 months of durable medical equipment rentals for

those who qualified. The version Bush signed allows just 13 months--a

difference of 23 months rental and $2 billion in spending.

 

According to the Constitution of the United States, the same version

of a bill must pass both houses of Congress before it can be signed by

the President to become law.

 

The plaintiffs seeking to block the law are all ranking Democratic

members of committees affected by the differences.

According to earlier published accounts, House Republican leadership

notified the President that it had not passed the House of

Representatives before the President went ahead with the Feb 8 signing.

 

" Anyone who has passed the sixth grade knows that before a bill can

become a law, both Houses of Congress must approve it, " blasted John

Conyers (D-MI), ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee. " That

the Bush Administration is now saying otherwise underscores the

Constitutional crisis we are facing in this country. "

 

Joining Conyers in the suit are: Rep. John Dingell, Ranking Member on

the Energy and Commerce Committee; Rep. Charles B. Rangel, Ranking

Member on the Ways and Means Committee; Rep. George Miller, Ranking

Member on the Education and Workforce Committee; Rep. James L.

Oberstar, Ranking Member on the Transportation and Infrastructure

Committee; Rep. Barney Frank, Ranking Member on the Financial Services

Committee; Rep. Collin C. Peterson, Ranking Member on the Agriculture

Committee; Rep. Bennie Thompson, Ranking Member on the Homeland

Security Committee; Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, Ranking Member on the

Rules Committee; Rep. Fortney " Pete " Stark, Ranking Member on the Ways

and Means Health Subcommittee; Rep. Sherrod Brown, Ranking Member on

the Commerce Health Subcommittee. The Congressmen are represented by

Dykema Gossett PLLC and Professor Erwin Chemerinsky, a constitutional

expert at Duke Law School.

 

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Congressmen_sue_to_block_implementation_of_042\

7.html