Another bill signed before the five-day sunlight deadline passes
Is it time to assume the president’s promise to post bills online for five days of public review before he signs them was just a bunch of hot air?
Barack Obama made the promise during the campaign, posted it on his campaign Web site and opened his new White House Web site touting it. Yet, he keeps breaking it.
Today the president signed the 2010 appropriations bill for Commerce, Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor, State, Transportation, the Treasury, and Veterans Affairs. The Senate gave the bill final approval a mere three days ago.
Just for review, here’s the president promising more transparency when it comes to bills passed by Congress:
When there is a bill that ends up on my desk as President, you will have five days to look online and find out what’s in it before I sign it.
The president’s campaign Web site echoed the same:
Too often bills are rushed through Congress and to the president before the public has the opportunity to review them. As president, Obama will not sign any non-emergency bill without giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House website for five days.
And the White House’s new blog opened with this:
One significant addition to WhiteHouse.gov reflects a campaign promise from the President: we will publish all non-emergency legislation to the website for five days, and allow the public to review and comment before the President signs it.
Sources:
The White House, Dec. 16, 2009
Bills Signed by the President today, 12/16/09
Wall Street Journal, Dec. 16, 2009
Obama Signs Omnibus Spending Bill Into Law
Washington Post, Congressional Votes Database
111th Congress / Bills / H R 3288
Washington Post, Sept. 22, 2008
Sen. Barack Obama Speaks at Campaign Event in Green Bay, Wisconsin
BarackObama.com
White House Blog, Jan. 20, 2009
