And the plural of quorum is...
Here's an interesting way to sideline a law you don't care for: refuse to nominate leaders for the agency in charge of implementing it.
Yesterday, I learned that the Consumer Product Safety Commission had too few members on the panel to call a quorum: while it should have five members, it actually only clocks in at two right now. Apparently, agency rules require that at least three commissioners (a quorum) vote in favor of certain enforcement actions- like demanding a recall or issuing fines.
In the absence of a quorum, their power becomes pretty effectively (knee)capped- and of course, Bush gets to complain that Congress caused the problem by rejecting his last nominee for commissioner, a lobbyist for the manufacturing industry.
Today, I pulled up the NY Times for some light entertainment while working late, and found that the same stunt is being pulled over at the F.E.C. Has anyone done a study to find out how widespread this is?
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And in other news, Congress will have some explaining to do come Mother's Day. Next up: a vote on apple pie!
Yesterday, I learned that the Consumer Product Safety Commission had too few members on the panel to call a quorum: while it should have five members, it actually only clocks in at two right now. Apparently, agency rules require that at least three commissioners (a quorum) vote in favor of certain enforcement actions- like demanding a recall or issuing fines.
In the absence of a quorum, their power becomes pretty effectively (knee)capped- and of course, Bush gets to complain that Congress caused the problem by rejecting his last nominee for commissioner, a lobbyist for the manufacturing industry.
Today, I pulled up the NY Times for some light entertainment while working late, and found that the same stunt is being pulled over at the F.E.C. Has anyone done a study to find out how widespread this is?
---
And in other news, Congress will have some explaining to do come Mother's Day. Next up: a vote on apple pie!