July over July: 110th Congress vs. 109th Congress

I was reading through some of the YK coverage from this front-pager when I came across the following remark from a participant in the LA Times story:

"You can see a real noticeable change in the agenda in Washington already," said Kerry Foret, a Kentucky man who runs the social networking website Diatribune. "We are talking about the war in Iraq and not a flag-burning amendment or some other distraction. Still, people are dissatisfied and want more."

This seems to me to be a powerful way of responding to the beltway Conventional Wisedom that says people are as fed up with the Democratic Congress as they are with the corrupt-o-matic administration and their rubber stamp, obstructionist colleagues in the minority caucuses of both houses of Congress.

Let's see if a then and now comparison bears fruit?

Below are the actual items from the House calendars for July 2007 and July 2006. In terms of number and importance, the Democratic-led Congress has shown far greater committment to effecting the kind of change in our Iraq and National Security policies that are supported by the majority of Americans. It is not even close.

I cannot vouch for my research methods. At best they suffer from lack of experience parsing the official records of Congress as well as from a quick Saturday morning tour of available resources. On the other hand, even this quick survey suggests a strong, fact-based case could be made that the Democratic Congress is working on an agenda favored by the American people. A side-by-side comparison framed as "Our Agenda vs. Their Agenda" that simply uses the legislative calendar to make its points might be very effective.

U.S. House Calendar for the Democratic-controlled 110th Congress; items relating to relating to Iraq and National Security from July/August 2007:

H.R. 1 (H. Res. 6) (H. Res. 567) (S. 4).--To provide for the
   implementation of the recommendations of the National
   Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States.
   Referred to Homeland Security and in addition to Energy and
   Commerce, the Judiciary, Intelligence, Foreign Affairs,
   Transportation and Infrastructure, Oversight and Government
   Reform, and Ways and Means Jan. 5, 2007. Passed House Jan. 9,
   2007; Roll No. 15: 299-128. Received in Senate and referred to
   Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Jan. 9, 2007.
   Committee discharged. Passed Senate with amendment July 9,
   2007. Senate insisted on its amendment and asked for a
   conference July 9, 2007. House disagreed to Senate amendment
   and agreed to a conference July 17, 2007. Conference report
   filed in the House July 25, 2007; Rept. 110-259. Senate agreed
   to conference report July 26, 2007; Roll No. 284: 85-8. House
   agreed to conference report July 27, 2007; Roll No. 757: 371-
   40. Presented to the President Aug. 1, 2007. Approved Aug. 3,
   2007. Public Law 110-53.

H.R. 2623.--To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the
   collection of copayments for all hospice care furnished by the
   Department of Veterans Affairs. Referred to Veterans' Affairs
   June 7, 2007. Reported amended July 27, 2007; Rept. 110-267.
   Union Calendar. Rules suspended. Passed House amended July 30,
   2007. Received in Senate July 31, 2007.

H.R. 2874.--To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain
   improvements in the provision of health care to veterans, and
   for other purposes. Referred to Veterans' Affairs June 27,
   2007. Reported amended July 27, 2007; Rept. 110-268. Union
   Calendar. Rules suspended. Passed House amended July 30, 2007.
   Received in Senate July 31, 2007.

H.R. 2929.--To limit the use of funds to establish any military
   installation or base for the purpose of providing for the
   permanent stationing of United States Armed Forces in Iraq or
   to exercise United States economic control of the oil
   resources of Iraq. Referred to Foreign Affairs and in addition
   to Armed Services June 28, 2007. Rules suspended. Passed House
   July 25, 2007; Roll No. 717: 399-24. Received in Senate and
   referred to Foreign Relations July 26, 2007.

H.R. 3087.--To require the President, in coordination with the
   Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs
   of Staff, and other senior military leaders, to develop and
   transmit to Congress a comprehensive strategy for the
   redeployment of United States Armed Forces in Iraq. Referred
   to Armed Services July 18, 2007. Reported amended July 31,
   2007; Rept. 110-283.

H.R. 3159 (H. Res. 601).--To mandate minimum periods of rest and
   recuperation for units and members of the regular and reserve
   components of the Armed Forces between deployments for
   Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom.
   Referred to Armed Services July 24, 2007. Reported amended
   July 31, 2007; Rept. 110-282. Union Calendar. Passed House
   amended Aug. 2, 2007; Roll No. 796: 229-194. Received in
   Senate Aug. 2, 2007.

U.S. House Calendar for the Rupublican-controlled 109th Congress; items relating to relating to Iraq and National Security from July/August 2006:

H.R. 5852.--To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002
   to enhance emergency communications at the Department of Homeland
   Security, and for other purposes. Referred to Energy and
   Commerce and in addition to Homeland Security July 20, 2006.
   Rules suspended. Passed House July 25, 2006; Roll No. 397:
   414-2. Received in Senate and referred to Homeland Security
   and Governmental Affairs July 26, 2006.

H.R. 5877.--To amend the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996 to extend
   the authorities provided in such Act until September 29, 2006.
   Referred to International Relations and in addition to
   Financial Services, Ways and Means, and Government Reform July
   25, 2006. Rules suspended. Passed House July 26, 2006.
   Received in Senate July 27 (Legislative day of July 26), 2006.
   Passed Senate July 31, 2006. Presented to the President Aug.
   2, 2006. Approved Aug. 4, 2006. Public Law 109-267.

•  Tips and tidbits

  Interestingly, if you search for the word "Iraq" in the 109th Congress' Calendar you get one hit. One. I'm sure this result is in some part due to my less than comprehensive search, but still...

  On the other hand, I do have to give credit where credit is due: in terms of authorizing naming of Post Offices the 109th Congress smoked the current Congress July over July. Probably about 3 to 1. So you can't say they were a do-nothing Congress.

  Cheers.

  by hoipolloi on Sat Aug 04, 2007 at 09:06:57 AM PDT

  •  Thanks for this

    This helps a lot!

    by Phoenix Woman on Sat Aug 04, 2007 at 09:23:33 AM PDT

    •  Your welcome...

      ...I'm hoping to find time this week to rough this out into a useful project. Gotta do something while everybody's recessed. :)

      by hoipolloi on Sat Aug 04, 2007 at 10:33:38 AM PDT

      •  You're welcome...ldo n/t

        by hoipolloi on Sat Aug 04, 2007 at 10:36:51 AM PDT