WASHINGTON, DC:
As Congress approaches the end of their second session, we conservative leaders want to emphasize the message we sent to the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader of the Senate in April of this year: Congress should not hold a so-called “lame duck” session after this year’s elections.
Historically, lame duck sessions have been used to enact backroom deals that are neither beneficial to the American people nor representative of their will as expressed in the elections of only a few days or weeks before. Past lame duck sessions have produced, among other actions, massive tax and spending increases, pay raises for members of Congress, and ratifications of treaties that threaten U.S. sovereignty.
At a time when the American people’s trust in their government is near an all-time low, Congress should demonstrate exemplary behavior by completing its work before the November elections so that voters can judge all the legislators on the basis of the votes they have cast. Because legislators who have been defeated in an election or are retiring are no longer accountable to the voters for their votes, any actions taken which required their votes are essentially undemocratic. To that end, Congress should not pass any continuing appropriations bill that expires during the post-election period, necessitating additional action to avoid a government shutdown.
Congress must not provide President Obama with an additional opportunity to enact his agenda of progressive social engineering programs and job-killing economic policies before he leaves office. A lame duck session would be his swan song: He can be expected to leave no arm untwisted, no threat unmade, no quid un-quod, to get his dream-policies enacted, his liberal judges confirmed, and his international agreements approved. And all of it could be done without any concern for what the voters actually want. We think that’s a bad way to run a republic.
The American people want, and should have, good representation by their elected officials. The way to get good representation is by having the opportunity to hold those officials accountable. True accountability means finishing Congress’ work for the year before the November elections and not holding a lame duck session.
| The Honorable Edwin Meese III Former Attorney General President Ronald Reagan |
The Honorable Becky Norton Dunlop Chairman, Conservative Action Project Former White House Advisor, President Ronald Reagan |
| The Honorable Bob McEwen U.S. House of Representatives Former Member, Ohio |
Alfred S. Regnery Chairman Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund |
| David Bozell President ForAmerica |
Ed Corrigan Former Executive Director Senate Steering Committee |
| William L. Walton Vice President Council for National Policy |
The Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell Chairman Constitutional Congress, Inc. |
| Marjorie Dannenfelser President Susan B. Anthony List |
The Honorable T. Kenneth Cribb, Jr. Former Domestic Advisor President Ronald Reagan |
| L. Brent Bozell, III Founder and President Media Research Center |
The Honorable Tony Perkins President Family Research Council |
| The Honorable Colin A. Hanna President Let Freedom Ring, Inc. |
Diana L. Banister President Shirley & Banister Public Affairs |
| Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin Executive Vice President Family Research Council |
Gary Aldrich Executive Committee Member Council for National Policy |
| Lee Beaman Owner Beaman Automotive Group |
Jim Backlin Christian Coalition of America |
| Rebecca Hagelin Board of Directors, Family Talk Secretary, Council for National Policy |
Kristan Hawkins President Students for Life of America |
| Mike Spence President Conservative Republicans of California |
Floyd Brown Chairman Western Center for Journalism |
| Kevin Freeman Founder NSIC Institute |
Rick Manning President Americans for Limited Government |
| Belden Bell Co-Chair Heritage Legacy Society |
Bob Adams President Revive America PAC |
| Elaine Donnelly Founder and President Center for Military Readiness |
Russell Ramsland Founder Park Cities/Preston Hollow Leadership Forum |
| Robert K. Fischer Meeting Coordinator Conservatives of Faith |
Judson Phillips Founder Tea Party Nation |
| Willes K. Lee President National Federation of Republican Assemblies |
J. Keet Lewis Co-Founder and Managing Partner Lewis Group International |
| Allen Hebert Chair American-Chinese Fellowship |
Tim LeFever Chairman Capitol Resource Institute |
| Kay R. Daly President Coalition for a Fair Judiciary |
Susan Carleson Chairman and CEO American Civil Rights Union |
| C. Preston Noell III President Tradition, Family, Property, Inc. |
Jim Martin Chairman 60 Plus Association |
| Mathew D. Staver, Esq. Founder and Chairman Liberty Counsel |
Charmaine Yoest Senior Fellow American Values |
| Gary Bauer Former Head of The White House Office of Policy Development President Ronald Reagan |
Midge Decter Author and Journalist |
| Christopher N. Malagisi President Young Conservatives Coalition |
Linwood Bragan Executive Director CapStand Council for Policy and Ethics |
| Ron Pearson Executive Director Conservative Victory Fund |
Ron Robinson President Young America’s Foundation |
| Norman Singleton President Campaign for Liberty |
Michael J. Bowen CEO Coalition For a Strong America |
| Stephani Scruggs COO Coalition For a Strong America |
Herman Cain CEO www.hermancain.com |
| Robert D. Thompson Coordinator The Weyrich lunch |
Larry Beasley President/CEO The Washington Times |
| Joseph R. Gregory CEO Gregory Management Co. |
Barbara S. Waddell Author Akron, OH |
| Lewis K. Uhler Founder and President National Tax Limitation Committee |
Morton Blackwell Chairman The Weyrich Lunch |
| Serphin R. Maltese Past State Chairman, NY Conservative Party Former NYS Senator |
John McCardell President America’s Liberty Committee |
| Ann L. Drexel Conservative Activist Tampa, FL |
Barb Kenney Washington |
| Dee Hodges President Maryland Taxpayers Association |
David Williams President Taxpayers Protection Alliance |
| Adam Brandon President & CEO FreedomWorks |
Seton Motley President Less Government |
| Melvin Adams Troutville, VA |
Samuel B. Casey Treasurer Liberty T |
| Terrence Scanlon Retired President Capital Research Center |
Bill Dallas CEO United in Purpose |
| Louis J. Cordia President Cordia and Associates |
William W. Pascoe Partner Antietam Communications |
| Darrel W. Johnson President, Attic Corp Real Estate Development |
Rod D. Martin Founder and CEO The Martin Organization, Inc. |
| Sherri R. Martin Co-Founder The Martin Foundation |
Monty S. Warner Plains States Legal Foundation |
| Shawn A. Mitchell National Chaplain National Federation of Republican Assemblies |
Steven Thrasher Special Counsel National Federation of Republican Assemblies |
| Hon. Jerry Melvin President Florida Republican Assembly |
Nicholas Stehle Campaign for the American Future |
| Anthony Allen President Hannibal-LaGrange University |
Barry Creamer President Criswell College |
| Dr. Herbert I. London President London Center for Policy Research |
Ted Baehr Publisher MOVIEGUIDE(R) |
| Ken Cuccinelli, II President Senate Conservatives Fund |
Kim Binkley Seyer Principal The Seyer Group |
| Melissa Ortiz Founder & Principal Able Americans |
Tricia Erickson President Angel Pictures & Publicity, Inc. |
| Ken Boehm Chairman National Legal and Policy Center |
The Honorable Ralph T. Hudgens Commissioner of Insurance State of Georgia |
| Suzanne M. Hudgens Board Member and Volunteer Atlanta Care Net Pregnancy Center |
Dr. Wm. Scott Magill Founder/Executive Director Veterans in Defense of Liberty |
| Diana Denman President Reagan Legacy Forum |
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr. President & CEO Center for Security Policy |
| William Borduin Co-Founder Borduin Charitable Foundation, Inc. |
Jean Borduin Co-Founder Borduin Charitable Foundation, Inc. |
| Alan Gottlieb Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms |
Kevin L. Kearns US Business and Industry Council |
| The Honorable Steve Stockman U.S House of Representatives Former Member, Texas |
Ambassador Henry F. Cooper Former Director Strategic Defense Initiative |
| Ray Thompson Founder Semitool, Inc. |
Ladeine Thompson Kalispell, MT |
| Col Francis X. De Luca USMCR (Ret) President Civitas Institute |
Penny Nance CEO & President Concerned Women for America |
| Bradley Mattes President Life Issues Institute |
Peter J. Thomas Chairman Americans for Constitutional Liberty |
| Barry Meguiar President Revival Outside the Walls |
Kimberly Bellissimo CEO ForthRight Strategy, Inc. |
| Jenny Beth Martin Co-Founder Tea Party Patriots |
Michael A. Needham Chief Executive Officer Heritage Action for America |
| Andresen Blom Executive Director Grassroot Hawaii Action, Inc. |
Rich Bott President Bott Radio Network |
| Dick Bott Chairman Bott Radio Network |
Richard A. Viguerie Chairman ConservativeHQ.com |
| Roxanne Phillips Conservative Activist Dallas, TX |
Charles J. Cooper Former Assistant Attorney General Reagan Administration |
(All organizations listed for IDENTIFICATION purposes only)
