,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #chgi  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #c1      
#bjbj,mr4 ,paul introduced the following
 bill2 which was read twice and referred
 to the ,committee on ,rules and        
,administration  ,a ,,bill  ,to preserve
 the constitutional authority of        
,congress and ensure accountability and 
transparency in legislation4  #a4 ,short
 title ,this ,act may be cited as the   
,read the ,bills ,act4  #b4             
,constitutional authority statement  7a7
 ,in general ,this ,act is enacted      
pursuant to the power conferred by the  
,constitution of the ,united ,states    
upon each ,house of ,congress by-- 7#a7 
article ,i1 section #e1 clauses #b and  
#c to determine the rules and keep a    
journal of its proceedings1             
respectively2  7#b7 article ,i1 section 
#g1 clause #b to ensure that bills that 
become law have been actually passed by1
 not just passed through1 each ,house of
 ,congress2 and  7#c7 article ,i1       

section #h1 clause #ah1 which authorizes
 ,congress to make all laws that are    
necessary and proper for carrying into  
execution the rules of each ,house of   
,congress4  7b7 ,standing provision ,the
 provision of this ,act under which any 
person who is aggrieved by the          
enforcement of any law enacted either in
 violation of the rules of proceedings  
of either ,house of ,congress1 or by the
 suspension of the rules1 as prescribed 
herein1 shall have standing in a court  
of law1 is enacted pursuant to article  
,,iii1 section #b of the ,constitution  
of the ,united ,states4  #c4 ,findings  
,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the
 ,constitution of the ,united ,states   
vests all legislative powers granted    
therein in ,congress4  7#b7 ,each       
,member of ,congress is elected by the  
people to whom the ,member is           
accountable1 and ,members must represent
 the people of their respective ,state  
or ,district in exercising their        
legislative powers4  7#c7 ,establishing 

a ,government of enumerated powers1     
article ,i1 section #a of the           
,constitution of the ,united ,states    
obliges ,congress to exercise only those
 legislative powers provided for in the 
,constitution of the ,united ,states1   
and article ,,vi of the ,constitution of
 the ,united ,states requires that each 
,member of ,congress be bound by oath or
 affirmation to support the             
,constitution of the ,united ,states by 
enacting only those laws1 and making    
only those resolutions1 that are        
pursuant to the ,constitution of the    
,united ,states and not prohibited      
thereby4  7#d7 ,to ensure that ,congress
 is politically and legally accountable 
to the people1 article ,i1 section #e of
 the ,constitution of the ,united       
,states requires each ,house of         
,congress to keep a journal of its      
proceedings and from time to time       
publish the same4  7#e7 ,to ensure that 
no legislation is passed without        
effective representation of the         

interests of the people by the elected  
,members of ,congress1 article ,i1      
section #g of the ,constitution of the  
,united ,states provides that only a    
bill 8which shall have passed the ,house
 of ,representatives and the ,senate10  
and not vetoed by the ,president1 shall 
become a law4  7#f7 ,according to       
section ,i of the ,manual of            
,parliamentary ,practice for the ,use of
 the ,senate of the ,united ,states1    
written by ,thomas ,jefferson in #ahja  
7referred to in this section as         
,jefferson's ,manual71 8nothing tended  
more to throw power into the hands of   
administration and those who acted with 
the majority ''' than a neglect of1 or  
departure from1 the rules of proceeding 
which operated as a check and control of
 the actions of the majority and a      
shelter and protection to the minority04
  7#g7 ,according to sections ,,xxii and
 ,,xl of ,jefferson's ,manual1 it was   
the rule of the ,senate that every bill 
receive #c readings1 #b full readings by

 the ,clerk of the ,senate1 and a third 
reading of the title of the bill only1  
because 8every member of the ,senate had
 a printed copy of the bill in his      
hand404  7#h7 ,according to sections    
,,xxiv1 ,,xxv1 and ,,xl of ,jefferson's 
,manual1 it was the rule of the ,house  
of ,representatives1 following the      
parliamentary procedure of the ,english 
,house of ,commons1 that every bill     
receive #b full readings by the ,clerk  
of the ,house of ,representatives1 and a
 reading of the whole contents of the   
bill verbatim by the ,speaker of the    
,house of ,representatives before the   
,house of ,representatives voted on the 
bill4  7#i7 ,under the current rules of 
the ,senate1 the ,senate has departed   
from its original practice of a full    
first and second reading of each bill1  
and of ensuring that each ,senator has a
 printed or other verbatim copy of each 
bill before passage thereof1 having by  
rule ,,xiv of the ,standing ,rules of   
the ,senate limited each reading of a   

bill to the reading of the title of the 
bill only1 unless the ,senate in any    
case shall otherwise order4  7#aj7      
,under the current rules of the ,house  
of ,representatives1 the ,house of      
,representatives has by rule ,,xvi 7#h7 
and rule ,,xviii 7#e7 embraced its      
original practice of full first and     
second readings of each bill1 but has   
regularly departed from this practice by
 unanimous consent of the ,house of     
,representatives1 and has dispensed     
altogether its original practice of a   
verbatim third reading of each bill     
before passage1 limiting such third     
reading to the reading of the title     
only1 including the reading of the title
 only even when ,members of the ,house  
of ,representatives have no printed or  
other verbatim copy of the bill before  
passage4  7#aa7 ,although section #ajf  
of title #a1 ,united ,states ,code1     
requires a bill to be made available in 
written form to each ,member of         
,congress before final passage1         

,congress has by statute conferred upon 
itself the power1 during the last #f    
days of a session of ,congress1 by      
concurrent resolution1 to vote for      
passage of a bill that is not in written
 form at the time of final passage4     
7#ab7 ,as a direct consequence of the   
departure of the ,senate and the ,house 
of ,representatives from the salutary   
practice of full1 verbatim readings of  
each bill before final passage1 and     
further1 as a direct consequence of     
,congress1 by concurrent resolution and 
otherwise1 having permitted certain     
appropriation1 budget1 and regulatory   
bills to be enacted into law without    
such bills being printed and presented  
to ,congress in written form prior to   
final passage1 ,congress has-- 7,a7     
imposed upon the people of the ,united  
,states excessively long bills1 largely 
written by an unelected bureaucracy1    
resulting in generally incomprehensible1
 cumbersome1 oppressive1 and burdensome 
laws1 containing hidden provisions for  

special interests2  7,b7 deprived the   
people of the ,united ,states and their 
elected ,senators and ,members of a full
 and fair opportunity to examine the    
text of bills1 and all amendments       
thereto1 prior to passage2  7,c7        
undermined the confidence of the people 
of the ,united ,states as a result of   
its failure to provide adequate notice  
to the people before a vote is taken on 
the bills and amendments thereto2 and   
7,d7 has called into question the       
integrity and reliability of the        
legislative processes in both ,houses of
 ,congress by its failure to ensure that
 each ,senator and each ,member of the  
,house of ,representatives has1 prior to
 passage1 either listened attentively to
 the reading of the full text of each   
bill1 and amendments thereto1 or has    
personally read the text thereof4  7#ac7
 ,federal law currently sets forth      
various requirements relating to the    
form of bills and resolutions1 and the  
procedure for enacting laws1 including--

 7,a7 the form of the enacting clause of
 all ,acts of ,congress 7section #aja of
 title #a1 ,united ,states ,code72  7,b7
 the form of the resolving clause of all
 joint resolutions 7section #ajb of     
title #a1 ,united ,states ,code72  7,c7 
a limitation on the use of enacting or  
resolving words 7section #ajc of title  
#a1 ,united ,states ,code72  7,d7 the   
requirement regarding the numbering of  
sections and the requirement that each  
contain a single proposition 7section   
#ajd of title #a1 ,united ,states       
,code72  7,e7 the style and title for   
all bills making appropriations 7section
 #aje of title #a1 ,united ,states      
,code72 and  7,f7 the process by which  
each bill or joint resolution is handled
 after passage 7section #ajf of title   
#a1 ,united ,states ,code74  #d4 ,text  
of bill or resolution to specify its    
constitutional authority1 current law   
,chapter #b of title #a1 ,united ,states
 ,code1 is amended by inserting after   
section #aje the following3  #aje;a4    

,text of bill or resolution to specify  
its constitutional authority  7a7       
,requirement  7#a7 ,in general ,any bill
 or resolution introduced in either     
,house of ,congress shall contain a     
provision citing the specific powers    
granted to ,congress in the             
,constitution of the ,united ,states to 
enact the proposed bill or resolution1  
including all the provisions thereof4   
7#b7 ,failure to comply ,any bill or    
resolution that does not comply with    
paragraph 7#a7 shall not be accepted by 
the ,clerk of the ,house of             
,representatives or the ,secretary of   
the ,senate4  7b7 ,floor consideration  
7#a7 ,in general ,the requirements of   
subsection 7a77#a7 shall apply to any   
bill or resolution presented for        
consideration on the floor of either    
,house of ,congress1 including a bill or
 resolution reported from a committee of
 either ,house of ,congress1 produced by
 conference between the #b ,houses of   
,congress1 or offered as a manager's    

amendment4  7#b7 ,failure to comply ,any
 bill or resolution that does not comply
 with paragraph 7#a7 shall not be       
submitted for a vote on final passage4  
7c7 ,no waiver or modification ,neither 
,house of ,congress1 nor ,congress      
jointly1 by concurrent resolution1      
unanimous consent1 or any other order1  
resolution1 vote1 or other means1 may   
dispense with1 or otherwise waive or    
modify1 the requirements under this     
section4  #aje;b4 ,text of bill or      
resolution to set forth current law  7a7
 ,requirement  7#a7 ,in general ,any    
bill or resolution introduced in either 
,house of ,congress that is intended to 
amend or modify the effect of1 or would 
have the effect of amending or modifying
 the effect of1 any current provision of
 law1 including the expiration date of  
any law1 shall set forth-- 7,a7 the     
current version of the entire section of
 the current law that the bill or       
resolution proposes to amend1 verbatim2 
7,b7 the amendments proposed in the bill

 or resolution2 and  7,c7 the section of
 law as it would read as modified by the
 amendments proposed1 except that this  
subparagraph shall not apply to any bill
 or resolution that would strike the    
text of an entire section of a law4     
7#b7 ,failure to comply ,any bill or    
resolution that does not comply with    
paragraph 7#a7 shall not be accepted by 
the ,clerk of the ,house of             
,representatives or the ,secretary of   
the ,senate4  7b7 ,floor consideration  
7#a7 ,in general ,the requirements under
 subsection 7a77#a7 shall apply to any  
bill or resolution presented for        
consideration on the floor of either    
,house of ,congress1 including a bill or
 resolution reported from a committee of
 either ,house of ,congress1 produced by
 conference between the #b ,houses of   
,congress1 or offered as a manager's    
amendment4  7#b7 ,failure to comply ,any
 bill or resolution that does not comply
 with paragraph 7#a7 shall not be       
submitted to a vote on final passage4   

7c7 ,no waiver or modification ,neither 
,house of ,congress1 nor ,congress      
jointly1 by concurrent resolution1      
unanimous consent1 or any other order1  
resolution1 vote1 or other means1 may   
dispense with1 or otherwise waive or    
modify1 the requirements under this     
section4  #aje;c4 ,procedures prior to  
vote on bill or resolution  7a7 ,in     
general  7#a7 ,requirements for vote ,a 
vote on final passage of a bill 7except 
for private bills7 or a resolution may  
not occur in either ,house of ,congress1
 unless-- 7,a7 the full text of the bill
 or resolution is published at least #g 
days before the vote on an official     
,internet website of each ,house of     
,congress1 easily available to and      
readily usable by the public1 using an  
open format that is platform            
independent1 machine readable1 and      
available without restrictions on       
searchability1 retrieval1 downloading1  
and indexing1 separate and apart from   
the calendar of the ,senate or the      

,house of ,representatives2  7,b7 public
 notice of the specific calendar week   
during which the vote is scheduled to   
take place is posted on the official    
,internet websites described in         
subparagraph 7,a7 not less than #f days 
before the ,monday of the calendar week 
during which the vote is scheduled to   
take place1 with failure to take the    
vote during the noticed week requiring a
 new notice under this subparagraph2 and
  7,c7 except as provided in paragraph  
7#b71 the ,clerk of the ,house of       
,representatives or the ,secretary of   
the ,senate has read the full text of   
the bill or resolution1 verbatim1 to the
 respective body of each ,house of      
,congress1 which have been called to    
order and physically assembled with a   
constitutionally required quorum to do  
business being present throughout the   
time of the full reading of the text of 
the bill or resolution4  7#b7 ,if a bill
 or resolution is enrolled by either the
 ,house of ,representatives or the      

,senate1 for any subsequent             
consideration of the enrolled bill or   
resolution-- 7,a7 it is not necessary   
for the full text of the bill or        
resolution to be reread to the ,house of
 ,congress in which the bill or         
resolution passed2 and  7,b7 the full   
text of any amendment to the text of the
 enrolled bill or resolution shall be   
read1 verbatim1 to each ,house of       
,congress4  7b7 ,affidavit  7#a7 ,in    
general ,before voting in favor of final
 passage of a bill 7except a private    
bill7 or resolution1 each ,senator and  
each ,member of the ,house of           
,representatives1 except as provided in 
paragraph 7#b71 shall sign an affidavit 
executed under penalty of perjury under 
section #afba of title #ah attesting    
that the ,senator or ,member-- 7,a7 was 
present throughout the entire reading of
 each such bill or resolution1 and      
listened attentively to such reading in 
its entirety2 or  7,b7 prior to voting  
for passage of such bill or resolution1 

read attentively each such bill or      
resolution in its entirety4  7#b7 ,vote 
against passage ,a ,senator or a ,member
 of the ,house of ,representatives shall
 not be required to sign an affidavit   
described in paragraph 7#a7 if the      
,senator or ,member voted against       
passage of the bill or resolution4  7#c7
 ,records ,copies of each affidavit     
described in paragraph 7#a7 signed by a 
,senator or a ,member of the ,house of  
,representatives shall be maintained by 
the ,secretary of the ,senate or the    
,clerk of the ,house of                 
,representatives1 respectively4  7c7    
,journal ,with respect to each vote on  
final passage of a bill 7except for a   
private bill7 or resolution1 each ,house
 of ,congress shall cause to be recorded
 in the journal of its proceedings that 
the publishing1 notice1 reading1 and    
affidavit requirements under this       
section have been satisfied4  7d7 ,no   
waiver or modification ,neither ,house  
of ,congress1 nor ,congress jointly1 by 

concurrent resolution1 unanimous        
consent1 or any other order1 resolution1
 vote1 or other means1 may dispense     
with1 or otherwise waive or modify1 the 
requirements set forth in this section4 
#aje;d4 ,enforcement clause  7a7 ,in    
general ,an ,act of ,congress that does 
not comply with section #aje;a1 #aje;b1 
or #aje;c shall have no force or effect 
and no legal1 equitable1 regulatory1    
civil1 or criminal action may be brought
 under such an ,act of ,congress4  7b7  
,cause of action ,without regard to the 
amount in controversy1 a cause of action
 under sections #bbja and #bbjb of title
 #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 against the
 ,united ,states seeking appropriate    
relief 7including an injunction against 
enforcement of any law1 the passage of  
which did not conform to the            
requirements of section #aje;a1 #aje;b1 
or #aje;c7 may be brought by-- 7#a7 a   
person aggrieved by an action of an     
officer or employee in the executive    
branch of the ,federal ,government under

 an ,act of ,congress that did not      
comply with sections #aje;a1 #aje;b1 and
 #aje;c2  7#b7 a ,member of ,congress   
aggrieved by the failure of the ,house  
of ,congress of which the ,member is a  
,member to comply with section #aje;a1  
#aje;b1 or #aje;c2 and  7#c7 a person   
individually aggrieved by the failure of
 a ,senator for the ,state in which the 
aggrieved person resides or by the      
failure of a ,member of the ,house of   
,representatives for the ,district in   
which the aggrieved person resides to   
fulfill the obligations of the ,senator 
or ,member under section #aje;a1 #aje;b1
 or #aje;c4  4  #e4 ,technical and      
conforming amendments ,the table of     
sections for chapter #b of title #a1    
,united ,states ,code1 is amended by    
inserting after the item relating to    
section #aje the following3  #aje;a4    
,text of bill or resolution to specify  
its constitutional authority4#aje;b4    
,text of bill or resolution to set forth
 current law4#aje;c4 ,procedures prior  

to vote on bill or resolution4#aje;d4   
,enforcement clause4  4  #f4            
,severability clause ,if any provision  
of this ,act or an amendment made by    
this ,act1 or the application of a      
provision or amendment to any person or 
circumstance1 is held to be invalid for 
any reason in any court of competent    
jurisdiction1 the remainder of this ,act
 and amendments made by this ,act1 and  
the application of the provisions and   
amendment to any other person or        
circumstance1 shall not be affected4