IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1194 

Raising a question of the privileges of the House. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 18, 2010 

Mr. CANTOR submitted the following resolution; which was laid on the table 

RESOLUTION 

Raising a question of the privileges of the House. 

Whereas at least three members of the House Democratic 

Leadership have endorsed a procedural tactic for the sole 

purpose of avoiding an up-or-down vote, by the yeas and 

nays, on the Senate-passed health care bill; 

Whereas, on Tuesday, March 16, 2010, Representative James 

Clyburn, the House majority whip, stated, ‘‘We will deem 

passed the Senate bill . . .’’; 

Whereas on Tuesday, March 16, The Washington Post reported, ‘‘After laying the groundwork for a decisive vote 

this week on the Senate’s health-care bill, House Speaker 

Nancy Pelosi suggested Monday that she might attempt 

to pass the measure without having members vote on it. 

Instead, Pelosi (D–Calif.) would rely on a procedural 

sleight of hand . . .’’; 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HRES 1194 LTH 

Whereas in the same Washington Post article, the Speaker 

declared, ‘‘. . . I like it because people don’t have to vote 

on the Senate bill.’’; 

Whereas on Tuesday, March 16, McClatchy Newspapers reported Representative John Larson, chairman of the 

House Democratic Caucus, stated, ‘‘Many of our members would prefer not to have voted for the Senate bill.’’; 

Whereas on Tuesday, March 9, U.S. News and World Report 

reported, ‘‘Pelosi gaffed, telling the local elected officials 

assembled ‘that Congress [has] to pass the bill so you 

can find out what’s in it, away from the fog of controversy.’ ’’; 

Whereas on Tuesday, March 16, The Washington Post editorialized, ‘‘. . . what is intended as a final sprint threatens to turn into something unseemly and, more important, contrary to Democrats’ promises of transparency 

and time for deliberation. . . . [I]t strikes us as a dodgy 

way to reform the health-care system. Democrats who 

vote for the package will be tagged with supporting the 

Senate bill in any event.’’; 

Whereas on Tuesday, March 16, the Cincinnati Enquirer editorialized, ‘‘This disgusting process, which Democrats 

brazenly wish to bring to conclusion this week, is being 

done with little regard for the opinions of a clear majority of Americans who, while they may believe health care 

reform is necessary, think this particular approach will 

take our nation down the wrong economic path.’’; 

Whereas bipartisan members of the House and Senate have 

expressed their opposition to using the Slaughter Solution; 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HRES 1194 LTH 

Whereas on Wednesday, March 10, Representative Joe Donnelly released the following statement, ‘‘The process over 

the past few months has been frustrating, including the 

cutting of unacceptable special deals to assure a few senators’ votes.’’; 

Whereas Representative Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania has 

characterized the exploitation of the Slaughter Solution 

by Democratic Leadership as ‘‘wrong’’ and unpopular 

among his constituents; 

Whereas on Friday, March 12, POLITICO reported on a 

memo sent from Representative Chris Van Hollen, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, to freshman and sophomore House Democrats 

that stated, ‘‘At this point, we have to just rip the bandaid off . . . Things like reconciliation and what the rules 

committee does is INSIDE BASEBALL.’’; 

Whereas on Tuesday, March 16, Roll Call reported, ‘‘Hoyer 

argued that the American public isn’t interested in the 

process lawmakers use for approving reforms . . .’’; 

Whereas on Tuesday, March 16, Representative James Clyburn told Fox News, ‘‘Controversy doesn’t bother me at 

all.’’; 

Whereas the Democratic leadership of the House has conducted a calculated and coordinated attempt to willfully 

deceive the American people by embracing the ‘‘Slaughter 

Solution’’; 

Whereas resorting to the ‘‘Slaughter Solution’’ in this circumstance, is being done to intentionally hide from the 

American people a future vote that Members of Congress 

may take on the Senate-passed health care legislation; 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HRES 1194 LTH 

Whereas the deceptive behavior demonstrated by the Democratic Leadership has brought discredit upon the House 

of Representatives; and 

Whereas the Democratic leadership has willfully abused its 

power to chart a legislative course for the Senate health 

care bill that is deliberately calculated to obfuscate what 

the House will vote on, in an illegitimate effort to confuse 

the public and thereby fraudulently insulate certain Representatives from accountability for their conduct of their 

offices: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House disapproves of the 

2 malfeasant manner in which the Democratic Leadership 

3 has thereby discharged the duties of their offices. 

Æ 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS