Issue Position: Accountability and Transparency

Issue Position

Taxpayers deserve transparency and accountability to see how their hard-earned dollars are being used. But too often, tax dollars are tainted with waste, fraud, and abuse perpetuated by backroom deals in Congress and incompetence in the federal government.

The American people deserve better. That is why Congressman Sessions has made transparency and accountability central to his commitment to fiscal responsibility. To shine the light on government operations and tax dollar use, Congressman Sessions supports the following priorities:

The American people and Members of Congress should have the opportunity to read a bill before the bill comes to the House floor for a vote. Congressman Sessions is a proud supporter of H.Res. 554, to place all bills online for at least 72 hours before they come to a vote.

BAN "PHANTOM AMENDMENTS"

Legislation should be written in plain view under the committee procedures of the House. Airdropped earmarks and phantom amendments have no place in open government. Congressman Sessions is a cosponsor of H.Res. 835, to require committees to post bill text online within 24 hours of adoption.

SHOW THE VOTES

Americans deserve clear and timely access to their Member's votes at every point in the legislative process. But only a fraction of committees post voting records online. To provide constituents with a comprehensive view of every Member's full voting record, Congressman Sessions introduced legislation in the 110th Congress to require posting Members committee votes online within 48 hours. His legislation has been reintroduced this Congress by Congressman Dave Reichert, and Congressman Sessions is a proud cosponsor of the bill (H.Res. 874).

OPEN HEALTH CARE NEGOTIATIONS TO THE PUBLIC

Despite President Obama's promise to hold health care discussions on television, Congressional Democrats are meeting behind closed doors to determine the future of every American's health care. Congressman Sessions believes that Americans have a right to know what leaders in Congress are writing into the health care bill, and he is a cosponsor of H.Res. 847 to prevent secret deals behind closed doors and to ensure a full and open debate.

Congressman Sessions has also co-signed a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), urging her to live up to her own transparency promises and honor C-SPAN's request to cover all health care negotiations.

ENFORCE REAL EARMARK REFORM

While some earmarks serve valuable purposes, such as infrastructure and research projects, wasteful earmarks have unfortunately polluted the earmark process. Congressman Sessions supports a temporary earmark moratorium along with comprehensive earmark reform.

BRING SUNLIGHT TO THE RULES COMMITTEE

The Rules Committee decides which bills and amendments will come to the House floor for a vote. But this powerful and too secretive committee is the only non-confidential House committee without cameras. As a member of the Rules Committee, Congressman Sessions supports placing cameras in the committee room to ensure greater transparency in the legislative process. He is a cosponsor of H.Res. 869 to require cameras in the Rules Committee.

Source