SENATE BILL: The Contempt of Congress Act (Law'd)

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Aye!  Don't leave our Committees powerless!

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Aye!  Don't leave our Committees powerless!

[Redalgo]

Nay

[Napoleon]

This Senate is voting to make law the removal of the most basic form of Atlasian participation for those who, for whatever reason, are unavailable to appear before a committee comprised of members of this body, the Senate of the Republic of Atlasia, whose own members often neglect their duty to the people by not voting or debating within the boundaries of the established legislative process.

I have been a proponent of committees from the start and this is not empowerment- this is a power grab.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

If someone has a valid reason for not appearing before a Committee, they aren't punished.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

This Senate is voting to make law the removal of the most basic form of Atlasian participation for those who, for whatever reason, are unavailable to appear before a committee.

Wrong. The bill comes with a loophole that will allow legitimate absences to go unpunished. I anticipate that the senate will be flexible in determining whether or not to charge an Atlasian with contempt of Congress. We just need an enforcement mechanism to make sure people are doing their jobs. Moreover, the Supreme Court will ultimately decide whether or not a voting ban is warranted.

[Napoleon]

If someone has a valid reason for not appearing before a Committee, they aren't punished.

Yeah, with the Senate committee determining what is and is not legitimate, as opposed to the democratic standard of a fair and impartial jury or judge.

[Napoleon]

This Senate is voting to make law the removal of the most basic form of Atlasian participation for those who, for whatever reason, are unavailable to appear before a committee.

Wrong. The bill comes with a loophole that will allow legitimate absences to go unpunished. I anticipate that the senate will be flexible in determining whether or not to charge an Atlasian with contempt of Congress. We just need an enforcement mechanism to make sure people are doing their jobs. Moreover, the Supreme Court will ultimately decide whether or not a voting ban is warranted.

Where is the enforcement mechanism to make sure you do your job?

[Kaine for Senate '18]

It actually is the Supreme Court that decides; we only press charges.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

This Senate is voting to make law the removal of the most basic form of Atlasian participation for those who, for whatever reason, are unavailable to appear before a committee.

Wrong. The bill comes with a loophole that will allow legitimate absences to go unpunished. I anticipate that the senate will be flexible in determining whether or not to charge an Atlasian with contempt of Congress. We just need an enforcement mechanism to make sure people are doing their jobs. Moreover, the Supreme Court will ultimately decide whether or not a voting ban is warranted.

Where is the enforcement mechanism to make sure you do your job?

That question would be better directed to Senator wormyguy.

[Napoleon]

Wormyguy wasn't disenfranchised.

[Napoleon]

It actually is the Supreme Court that decides; we only press charges.

That is quite obviously not true considering the text of the bill.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

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Section 3 makes it clear that the case will be brought in front of the Supreme Court.

Section 2 dictates that anyone who commits the crime of contempt of Congress shall be sentenced to a voting ban of up to six months. Naturally, the Court decides whether or not it finds a person guilty of “committing” said crime.

The ban on office-holding does not go through the Court. I wrote it that way on purpose, and no one made a specific objection to that point. It's similar to the process of expelling a senator, but we needed a timeframe because many of the people who appear before committees are appointees.

Wormyguy wasn't disenfranchised.

He also didn’t have the luxury of defending himself in front of the Supreme Court.

[Napoleon]

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Section 3 makes it clear that the case will be brought in front of the Supreme Court.

I like how you ignore the section most relevant to my point.

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It's clear in the text of the bill that the committee is given the power to determine whether or not an excuse is "legitimate". The Court/jury would then be able to rule only whether or not the Atlasian is guilty of "committing" the "crime" based on what the Committee has already determined itself.

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[/quote]

I'm making a specific objection now.

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He also didn’t have the luxury of defending himself in front of the Supreme Court.
[/quote]

Um, okay.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

I didn't cite it because I don't think it's relevant to your point. The committee decides whether or not it will charge an Atlasian with contempt of Congress based on whether or not the committee believes that the Atlasian has a valid excuse for failing to testify. By implication, the bill suggests that contempt of Congress is only committed when there is no good excuse for being absent.

This question of legitimacy would therefore be factored into the Supreme Court's decision.

I disagree with a lot of your points, but a lot of them are minor things we could have changed earlier. I like that you've gotten involved in the senate in the past... why didn't you bring these up earlier when we could have dealt with them?

[Marokai Backbeat]

Aye.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Aye

[Sbane]

Abstain

[Bacon King]

Aye if it ain't too late.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

As far as I know the rules are same those for regular legislation, except Abstains are counted as Nay votes. So seven days.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

With six votes in the affirmative and three votes in the negative, this has enough votes to override the veto, Senators have 24 hours to change their votes.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Time is expired, I am pretty sure this has been overriden. If someone thinks I have made a mistake somewhere, please speak up.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

  I thank the Senate for giving Committees the necessary tools to succeed; and Mr. President, I promise to try as hard as I can to make sure your fears don't come true.