Release:
Washington, D.C. – House Republican leaders today established a committee to manage the transition to a new majority in the U.S. House of Representatives for the 112th Congress, naming Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR) to serve as transition chairman. The Majority Transition Committee will review all House procedures and structures, with the goal of ensuring the new Congress can get to work immediately on the priorities of the American people.“As a former small businessman, skilled legislator and trusted member of our leadership team, Greg Walden is the right person to lead this transition effort. I’m grateful he has agreed to serve,” Leader Boehner said. Since early 2010, Walden has served as chairman of the House Republican Leadership and was one of the first Members of Congress to call for House rules changes that would require all bills to be posted online for at least three days before they can be brought to a vote – one of the key congressional reforms in the Pledge to America, unveiled in September 2010 after a nationwide process of listening to the American people.“Leader Boehner has pledged to run the House differently than it has been run by both Democrats and Republicans in the past – with respect for the American people, their intelligence, and their will. The groundwork for these changes will be laid through the transition process,” Congressman Walden added. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve the American people as chairman of this process.”“The results last night were a repudiation of Washington; a repudiation of Big Government; a repudiation of politicians who refuse to listen to the people,” said Boehner. “Americans have been clear about what they want: more jobs, less spending, and a more open Congress that respects and abides by the Constitution. In the new Congress, the people’s priorities will be our priorities. The goal of the transition will be to ensure the House is ready to begin implementing the Pledge to America – a governing agenda built by listening to the people – so we can begin to cut spending and end the job-killing uncertainty being created by Washington.”NOTE: The Republican Pledge to America sets forth a plan to reform Congress and, in doing so, begin restoring the public trust. These reforms include:· A requirement that legislation be available online for 3 days before a vote so that members of Congress and the American people can read the bill.· A requirement that all bills include a citation of constitutional authority so that Congress respects the limits imposed on it by our founding document.· Changes to House rules to make it harder to increase spending and easier to cut it so that we begin a new era of fiscal responsibility in Washington.· An end to the practice of passing "comprehensive" or "omnibus" bills that package unrelated legislation together in an effort to avoid public scrutiny.Leader Boehner has also pledged to end the days of bills being written in the Speaker’s Office behind closed doors, and instead vowed to move bill-writing authority back to committees, which would be required to post amendments and votes online to ensure full transparency.
