This site allows allows you to type in a member of Congress and see how many bills he/she has introduced, how many earmarks he/she have asked for and received. The site does not give its definition of earmarks, nor tell if the bills are for one's entire career (I suspect it is), but nonetheless, it is an interesting starting point.
Judy Biggert (R) our representative from the 13th District has just two bills to her credit. She was first elected in 1998. She won re-election Tuesday to a seventh term with 64% of the vote.
But she has given a big shout out to WVHS. I found the above video on the Warrior's Back-to-Back State Champion Women's Soccer Team Website. A couple of summers ago U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert gives her one-minute shout out to the Tribe. While we make fun of these "One-minute resolutions" legislatures use them to make constituents feel happy and proud. I did when I saw it.
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/videoLibrary/clip.php?appid=595320026
3 comments:
These one minute resolutions seem to me almost a meaningless gesture. Although they make constituents happy by being recognized these things should definately not be primary concerns for congress men and women. I actually was on the team that Judy Biggert recognized and did not feel any different after the recognition. Although it seemed cool at the moment it did not leave that much of a lasting impression.
I don't think Judy Biggert is a terrible congresswoman by any means even though she has a poor record of even making attempts in the law making department. I dislike her because I find her hypocritical about how she is always complaining about spending and the economy, and then her solution is to hold job fairs where she hands out goverment contracts, and acts like she is controlling spending.
The short speeches are a nice gesture, it's nice to feel acknowledged as a school, and I can see how it helps encourage more people to vote for her. But how big of a difference do the votes of such a small area make? I'm not sure of the lasting effects of the speeches, and if they make a difference to the big picture.
The Congress men and women themselves seem rather detached from their speeches, not making them very persuading at points. The point that many often don't take these one minute resolutions seriously is valid, in that while Biggert is speaking she seems to doubt that Congress feels her speech is important in any way.
I would keep the speeches if it were up to me, because I personally like them and think they are at least slightly beneficial. It's a nice gesture, as I said.
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