CONGRESSIONAL RULES

A big part of the problems in Congress result from the rules and procedures, all of which are made by the Congress.  For example, in ordinary procedures, amendments to any motion (bill) must relate to the main question or proposal.  It must be germane.  In the Congress, no matter what the original proposition or bill intends, anyone can attach amendments on any matter you can think of, especially pork or gifts to political allies and donors.  The approval of these amendments is often used to buy the vote of the legislator who will benefit from it.  If this practice, or the rule that allows this practice, were eliminated, every bill would be "clean" or unencumbered with these "wish list" amendments.  In cases where this may not be practical, each amendment should be voted upon separately and not "as amended".  Since the Presidential "line item veto" is not legal, this, in essence, would give the Congress a chance to veto or approve each item separately.

Other rules which grant the Speakers of both houses the authority to determine what bills will be "marked up" or brought up for debate and a vote, should be eliminated. Even committee chairman have the power to keep a bill from being considered.  If either house passes a bill, the other house should be required to take a vote on it, with or without amendments.  The current rules, in essence, gives the speakers a power equivalent to that of the President in vetoing legislation by not allowing it to come up for a vote.  No such power, except in overriding a Presidential veto, is given the Congress in the Constitution.

There should also be a rule which would prohibit rules which would exempt members of Congress from any laws which they, or their predecessors, have approved.