America the Beautiful: An American Political RP (Congress)

[Velahor]

United States Senate
Senator William S. Rogers III [D-MT]

"Mr. President, I move to end the questioning period on the amendment."

[New Cobastheia]

United States Senate
Senator William S. Rogers III [D-MT]

"Mr. President, I move to end the questioning period on the amendment."

United States Senate
Senator Benjamin Hertzog [D-MI]
{Senate Majority Leader}

"Seconded, Mr. President."

[Gordano and Lysandus]

Senator Eugene Obradovic
[Democratic - State of Illinois]
{President pro tempore of the United States Senate}

"Without objection, the motion carries. The floor is open for debate or motions regarding the amendment."

[New Cobastheia]

United States Senate
Senator Benjamin Hertzog [D-MI]
{Senate Majority Leader}

"Motion to vote on the adoption of the amendment, Mr. President."

[Velahor]

United States Senate
Senator Benjamin Hertzog [D-MI]
{Senate Majority Leader}

"Motion to vote on the adoption of the amendment, Mr. President."

United States Senate
Senator William S. Rogers III [D-MT]

“I second the motion.”

[Democratic Peoples republic of Kelvinsi]

United States House of Representatives

Representative Gene Goper
(Republican- 4th Congressional District of Alabama)
Speaker pro Tempore of the United States House of Representatives

"Seeing a second and no objection the questioning period has now ended. The chair would look favorably upon a motion for debate."

Representative Thomas Volker
(Republican- 8th Congressional District of Missouri)
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

"I motion for 30 minutes of debate on this bill."

[Velahor]

United States House of Representatives

Representative Gene Goper
(Republican- 4th Congressional District of Alabama)
Speaker pro Tempore of the United States House of Representatives

"Seeing a second and no objection the questioning period has now ended. The chair would look favorably upon a motion for debate."

Representative Thomas Volker
(Republican- 8th Congressional District of Missouri)
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

"I motion for 30 minutes of debate on this bill."

United States House of Representatives
Congresswoman Diane Paulson [R-ME-2]

"I second the motion for 30 minutes of debate on the bill."

[Democratic Peoples republic of Kelvinsi]

United States House of Representatives

Representative Gene Goper
(Republican- 4th Congressional District of Alabama)
Speaker pro Tempore of the United States House of Representatives

"Seeing a second and no objection the questioning period has now ended. The chair would look favorably upon a motion for debate."

Representative Thomas Volker
(Republican- 8th Congressional District of Missouri)
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

"I motion for 30 minutes of debate on this bill."

United States House of Representatives
Congresswoman Diane Paulson [R-ME-2]

"I second the motion for 30 minutes of debate on the bill."

“Seeing a second and no objections. The Chair invites members to give a 3-5 minute address in regards to the bill. “

[Velahor]

United States House of Representatives
Congresswoman Diane Paulson [R-ME-2]

"I second the motion for 30 minutes of debate on the bill."

“Seeing a second and no objections. The Chair invites members to give a 3-5 minute address in regards to the bill. “

United States House of Representatives
Congresswoman Diane Paulson [R-ME-2]

"Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry. Would the rules of the House allow me to reserve the final speaking slot, after the other speakers have finished, to address any concerns my colleagues may pose about the bill?"

[Sarenium]

"Why is this amendment necessary?" scoffed Deb Feyrer, "blatant pork barreling on an issue of national security? Our Intelligence Community, our Defense Community, and all the like, have advised this course of action to be the best. To remove the flexibility offered to the Department of Commerce under this provision, imperils our national security," she bit back a sly remark.

United States Senate
Senator Benjamin Hertzog [D-MI]
{Senate Majority Leader}

"Thank you for the question, Senator Feyrer." Hertzog once again started, albeit in a much less thankful tone given the accusatory nature of it.

"It's necessary because this bill is about investing in the American people during the worst economic crisis in a generation just as much as it's about national security. This bill, even without this amendment, is investing billions of dollars into the American people and our country's industry via Section 4. I think it's important that we make sure that investment is spread throughout the country without leaving any Americans behind. And when it comes to how this amendment would imperil national security, well I'd have to ask you, how would making sure all Americans feel the potential economic benefits of this bill harm our nation's security in any way? As far as I'm concerned, it'd only strengthen it Senator."

"This bill ain't about the economy, it's about getting us geared up to acknowledge the threat China poses!" she responded, "this amendment will damage our national security. You wanting pork, you fat cat, isn't cause to damage our national security," Deborah continued, "this amendment would prevent the construction of facilities and infrastructure where it is needed, instead funneling funds to your personal pet projects like this."

[Sarenium]

Jackson Vichter (D-IA)

He sent a note to Rogers as the debate continued, scribbling down his thoughts hastily as the amendment moved towards a final vote.

Seems somewhat whack to try and funnel pork into this when the focus is fighting China, would you be with me if I voted this down? -J

[Lavan Tiri]

Senator Max O'Halloran
Senate Minority Leader
Republican|Wyoming

Duncan brought Feyrer a note.

Deborah.

Please see me in my office as soon as is convenient.

Max

[Velahor]

(Image)

Jackson Vichter (D-IA)

He sent a note to Rogers as the debate continued, scribbling down his thoughts hastily as the amendment moved towards a final vote.

Seems somewhat whack to try and funnel pork into this when the focus is fighting China, would you be with me if I voted this down? -J

William Rogers(D-MT)

Rogers opened the note, looked at the text of the amendment again, and sent another note back to Vichter.

Sure, the amendment seems like it kinda dilutes what we're trying to do here. I'm with you, I'll vote no. -W

[Lavan Tiri]

Senator Max O'Halloran
Senate Minority Leader
Republican|Wyoming

Duncan carried a note to Rogers.

William,

I hope you can see how this amendment is blatant pork-barrelling on Hertzog's part.

-Max

[Gordano and Lysandus]

Senator Eugene Obradovic
[Democratic - State of Illinois]
{President pro tempore of the United States Senate}

"The gentlewoman from Alabama is in breach of Senate Rule 19 and her comments are out of order. I call her to order, and direct her to take her seat."

[New Cobastheia]

United States Senate
Senator Benjamin Hertzog [D-MI]
{Senate Majority Leader}

Hertzog continued to look forward from his desk and refused to give the Senator from Alabama the attention she so desperately craved while issuing the following whip.

I'm not going to issue a whip for this amendment given that issuing a whip for my own personal amendment seems a bit unethical. That being said, I'd personally prefer you'd vote for this amendment as your fellow Democratic Senator and I'd also like to remind you all that whether we like it or not our most pressing priority at the moment is making sure we win Wisconsin, a state within the East North Central census division. I hope I can count on your vote.

Benjamin Hertzog
U.S. Senator from Michigan
Senate Majority Leader

[Meelducan]

House Floor
Representative Donal Jonsson - (D-ME-1)

Donal stood and walked into the centre of the house floor, standing behind the podium. An aide took a seat close to him.

"Thank you Mr. Speaker."

"I remember as a young boy making the weekly trip to the butchers with my mother. And boy can I remember that meat. Just sitting there, on display, looking so juicy and delicious. We were a middle class family, you see, so we couldn't afford the high end steaks, but we could afford the basics, chicken and pork. High quality meat for the family. But unfortunately this bill is trying to finish off the high quality, delicious meat that I enjoyed as a child. That is why I rise here today in opposition to this bill."

"Now this is no disrespect to the gentlewoman from Maine, but I don't think this bill does what she wants it to achieve. Just reading this bill here, Section Three, 'eliminates the Department of Agriculture ”continuous inspection” requirement from “for-profit custom slaughter operations.”' and it gives the states the rights to appoint their own inspectors to inspect their own facilities. The states investigating themselves? Seriously? That's like the a Police Department investigating allegations against themselves! It simply does not and will not work. But the kicker is, it's replaced with periodic inspections. How often are periodic? Will the facilities know when these so-called periodic checks are happening or will it be totally random dates? All questions still left unanswered."

"But my biggest concern with this bill is the difference in concerning the states laws and regulation concerning the facilities that sell meat. Just for example;" Donal's aide passed him a raw ribeye steak that had been brought from Maine. "This steak right here, comes from, in my opinion, the best best state in the world, Maine. So juicy and succulent.' Donal said lifting the raw steak up beside his head.

He slapped it down with force onto the podium to prove it was both succulent and juicy.

"Now I don't want to shame anywhere's meat, but just look at the quality of this cut of steak." Donal lifted up a poor, and quite possibly mouldy cut of steak. "Got this from a North Western state," that was a lie, it was actually found in the garbage outside the congressional cafeteria. "Now as you can see, these two aren't the same, the one from Maine is a lot better than the one from the North West. And do you know what this represents, the different state laws regarding meat. On one hand, you have states with extremely strong laws on meat and meat producing facilities, then on the other hand, you have states that have much weaker laws on meat regulations. I mean, this mildly bit of meat could be anything, maybe even horse! But that is what this bill does, it ensures that the inequalities of state laws are exacerbated and it makes the Federal Government weak in solving these problems."

Donal held up both pieces of meat again.

"The proof is in the pudding."

He slammed both steaks down with force into the podium one last time, with the juices coating it.

"I yield the remainder of my time to whoever the next democrat speaking is." Donal said, taking his items before returning to his seat.

[Gordano and Lysandus]

United States Senate
Senator Eugene Obradovic
[Democratic - State of Illinois]
{President pro tempore of the United States Senate}

Eugene's eyes roam over the body of the Senate, giving particular attention to those Democrats who've only been here for a few weeks, or a couple of years maximum, the meaning implicit in the gesture. Don't let your party down.

"Without objection, the motion carries. The Senate will now vote on the amendment introduced by the gentleman from Michigan. The clerk will call the roll."

[Lavan Tiri]

Senator Max O'Halloran
Senate Minority Leader
Republican|Wyoming

"Nay!"

My friends,
The Whip on this B.S. is Nay

Max

[Gordano and Lysandus]

United States House of Representatives
Representative Abigail Jekyll-Jones
[Republican - 2nd District of the State of Oregon]

"Mr. Speaker, we must look past the tawdry parlor tricks presented before this chamber and examine the facts of the legislation ahead of us."

"The fact is that America is being poorly served by an overbearing regulatory framework that targets and disadvantages small businesses. The fact is that America's rural folk are being made poorer. And the fact is that the proposal brought before us in the bill will serve to lighten the regulatory burden without actually watering down the regulation itself. I'm no fan of regulation, but if you are a fan of regulation, then you must be assured by the simple, honest fact that the actual standards on the quality of meat are not herein affected at all. It is irrelevant to this debate, and I chastize anyone who persists in seeking to bring it up."

"I know all too well the pains of virulent disease. My mother and siblings were taken by polio when I was very little. I know the reactive fear, the disgust, we have at the idea of making our health more vulnerable. Believe me, if I was of the opinion that my health would be endangered by the proposition before us, I would be vehemently against it. But again, those substantive legal standards on the quality of meat are not affected here. Only the way we go about enforcing those standards. I see no reason, no reason, why we should continue to perpetuate a system that puts family abattoirs out of business and ringfences the industry to the big producers. We have all, both our parties, dedicated ourselves to supporting middle America. I see no greater way to do that than to reinvigorate our meat industry, and make sure that our farmers and ranchers have opportunities to work without being subject to the tyranny of a few, big producers whose ultimate agenda - their ultimate agenda - being the consolidation of American farming under their umbrella. I will not countenance supporting a course which will push the family farm to extinction."

"The only reason I can see for the maintenance of the continuous inspection model is to continue to perpetuate the consolidation of power over the States by the Federal Government, a recourse that is against the spirit, if not the letter, of our constitutional law. The Founding Fathers had no conception of a Department of Agriculture, not least one that so regularly interfered in the affairs of the States. I have spoken at length in this chamber in debates past over the misconduct of the Forest Service, however that is outside the scope of our debate. The continuous inspection model is an overreach, it is inefficient, it hurts the little guy to the benefit of the fat cat. I see no reason why we should continue to humor such a thing, when a reasonable alternative, a good alternative, has been presented before us."

"We are in an economic crisis. We are in an economic crisis. We cannot stand here and continue to pretend that business as usual is good enough. Family farms are dying. Rural people are being pushed out of business, out of their homes. Food production will suffer and food prices will rise, decreasing the general standard of life here in America, something of which we have been so proud. This bill is not just a social necessity to those rural folk, like my constituents, who want to be able to do business without injurious regulations, but it is an economic necessity in light of the present situation. I urge you all to consider that as you cast your votes. I will be voting Aye."

"Thank you, I yield my time."

Representative Caroline Simone
[Democratic - 12th District of the State of New York]

"Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak against this bill."

"I do not doubt the good intentions of my friend from Maine, nor do I doubt that on the face of it, the principles of the bill are good and that good arguments can be made in its defense, many of which we have heard from herself and others. Where my doubts lie, where my substantive doubts lie, is not where this bill begins but where it shall end. Continuous inspection is a safeguard, a response to a long and historied saga of bad meat, dating back a great many years. It is the price we have paid to meet the challenge of food hygeine as that science has become apparent to us. It is an evil with which we still fight, and it is an evil which we are - as yet - not winning against."

"About a quarter of a million Americans are taken ill with e.coli infection every year, with a death rate in triple figures. Escherichia coli outbreaks are very common in the United States, and stand as a testament that we must - in fact - be doing more to counteract the disease rather than less. This is a deadly disease that - due to a frequency among our political class to favor inaction over proactive response - we allow to run rampant. An unchecked reaper that could be halted. It is a political choice that we do not, and it is a political choice here before us whether we should disarm ourselves in the face of it."

"Perhaps one of the most infamous meat-based pathogens is trichinella spiralis, a nematode parasite that causes trichinosis. A 2005 report indicated that the strict inspection methods of the USDA, the continuous inspection system that is on trial before us in this debate, are to thank for why trichinosis outbreaks in this country are so low compared to the rest of the world. Shall I illuminate my colleagues on the symptoms of trichinosis? During the initial infection in the intestines, the victim succumbs to diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting. And then the larvae, these parasites, migrate to the muscles. The face begins to swell. The whites of the eyes become inflamed. Fever, muscle pains, rashes. Practically every tissue induced into an agonizing riot against the person. And complications that can arise include inflammation of the heart, and the lungs, or effects on the central nervous system. This, again, can result in death."

During her talk on trichinosis, various placards showing the visible exterior symptoms of trichinosis were displayed in order to induce a disgust response.

"Any time we curtail a freedom, we do not do so lightly. I agree that it is not in the spirit of America to restrict unduly. But when we do so, we do so explicitly with the public good in mind. Waging war on these diseases is a public good. The continuous inspection model is a public good, necessary in our fight against pestilences. Avoidable pestilences. And with that regard, I implore my colleagues not to pare back the regulation of meat, but in fact to go further. There are practices, pushed by the agricultural corporations deplored in the argument of this bill, which significantly increase the likelihood of disease in meat. These are the devils we must lay low."

"As much as I agree that the substantive standards, as written, are not affected by this legislation, the actual standards run the risk of decline. Irregular, rather than continuous, inspection, combined with the possibility of one or more states offering a 'looser' regimen in order to attract the meat packing industry, is a recipe for a deregulatory spiral. It will inspire a race to the bottom. We would be surrendering ourselves in the face of the war on disease, and I cannot possibly imagine any one of my colleagues wanting to consider the possibility of a piece of meat that they are not sure of being placed on the dinner plates of their spouses, their elders, their children. It is for that reason that I will vote No on this bill, and implore my colleagues to do the same."

"I yield my time."

[New Cobastheia]

United States Senate
Senator Benjamin Hertzog [D-MI]
{Senate Majority Leader}

"Aye."

[Jovuistan]

United States Senate
Senator Arnold Wolf Jr. (R-ID)

"Nay."

[Kargintinia]

United States House of Representatives
House Majority Whip Earl Tenson (R-MT-At-Large)

“Mr. Speaker, I must point to Representative Jonson out that the state of Maine already has a state-run inspection program. Meanwhile, the states generally considered to be “Northwest”, that being Idaho, Washington and Oregon are all run by federal government inspections exclusively.

In the midst of an economic crisis such as the one that currently afflicts our nation, the last thing we need is further government regulation. I am in support of this bill to help return power to America’s states and get the ability to inspect meat back to our own people. Like President Reagan said, “Government is not the solution to our problem, government IS the problem. Therefore I shall be casting my vote as Aye on this bill.

I yield my time.”

[Louisianan]

United States Senate
Senator Hypolite Gaspard
[Republican - State of Louisiana]

"Nay!"

[Deblar]

US House of Representatives
Representative Hugo Fitzgerald [D-TX-29]

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak against the bill.

“While I completely understand the good intentions of my colleague from Maine, and of this bill, the deregulation of meat inspection seems very dangerous. As my colleague from New York State pointed out, there is a very serious public health risk and concern that comes along with this bill.

“Largely because of these regulations, many meat-borne diseases, like E. coli, are contained in no small part thanks to these regulations. Axing them not only is reckless, but it also endangers the public. While I wholeheartedly respect the balance of power between the states and the federal government, in this case the federal government wins out because it can guarantee the safety of Americans better than some states can.

“In the name of public safety, I cannot, in good faith and good conscience, support MARKET.

“I yield my time.”