Rolling Recesses to End?

After giving house members three separate three-day breaks - which House Democrats strongly opposed - the Republican House leadership may have finally abandoned the "rolling recess" strategy. The House is convening today at 10am and the early report is that they will be convening tomorrow at the same time.

The House Republican leadership has come under increasing scrutiny for giving House members three days off at a time when several bills just sit in committees that aren't meeting, including the Undone Dozen bills that are being held up in the House despite passing the Senate with strong bi-partisan support.

This weekend the Salem Statesman Journal ran two articles about the House Republican recesses and their political implications.

Statesman Journal, 7/17/04: Rolling Recesses Have Eyes Rolling

Statesman Journal, 7/17/04: Political Fallout Predicted from House Recesses

The Statesman Journal also ran an interesting article about the fate of a series of anti-poverty bills that are stalled, mostly in the House. This list of anti-poverty bills include several that are part of the Undone Dozen.

Statesman Journal, 7/17/04: Anti-Poverty Bills Stuck in Capitol

Undone Dozen Update

Oregonhousedemocrats.com has received more communication regarding House Democratic Leader Jeff Merkley's post about the "Undone Dozen" than any post in this blog's short history. 90% of this communication has been extremely positive and supportive of House Democrats' efforts to promote bills that received bi-partisan support in the Senate. Many of you communicated your appreciation for Rep. Merkley's focus on a bi-partisan agenda instead of a narrow set of partisan proposals.

Here is a quick update on the House Democrats push to get these bills through the house.

Yesterday, Rep. Merkley sent this letter to the Speaker requesting hearings for the Undone Dozen: Download LetterSpeakerUndoneDozen07-10-05.pdf

House Democratic members were also heartened this morning by the Oregonian's editorial in support of SB 849, which would allow pharmacists to give women emergency contraception without a prescription.

We will post more updates as we hopefully move closer to a productive end of the 2005 legislative session.