What does Congress do in their downtime?

[Jeremiah Johnson]

I got interested in what bills my favorite US Senator, D-IL Barack Obama, has supported in the past and I ran into this one.

The bill passed without amendment. Does anyone else think that Congress should have better things to do? Please, don't let this turn into a political thread... I just thought it was funny.

Click on Text of Legislation... it gets funnier.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Budda648

I got interested in what bills my favorite US Senator, D-IL Barack Obama, has supported in the past and I ran into this one.

The bill passed without amendment. Does anyone else think that Congress should have better things to do? Please, don't let this turn into a political thread... I just thought it was funny.

Click on Text of Legislation... it gets funnier.

Judging from my days as a football videographer down at Irmo High's athletic department, such resolutions for championship winners are common on the state level--I can only assume they are proportionally common on the national level. (Actually, it even crosses borders--the State of New Hampshire congratulated 343, a South Carolina team, for their 2003 Chairman's win at Peachtree.) It's just the legislative form of a letter of congratulations.

Step 1) Collect a list of accomplishments of the group in question.
Step 2) Write in the form of a resolution.
Step 3) Submit
Step 4) ???
Step 5) Profit!

[KenWittlief]

you will need to get out the digital scissors and digital Elmers

all I get is

Temporary file open error. Display failed.

[Cynette]

Originally Posted by Budda648

I got interested in what bills my favorite US Senator, D-IL Barack Obama, has supported in the past and I ran into this one.

The specific query doesn't show up any more. Can you give the bill number that caught your eye? It's formatted like S.####.

I heard one of my favorite "poke fun of the English language" quips this morning...if "con" is the opposite of "pro", is "congress" the opposite of "progress"?

Many of the "fun" resolutions passed through the various legislative bodies do serve to keep the elected Representative in touch with the goings on of the people they represent! If you've ever received a legislative citation for some achievement with all the whereas and wherefores, its a really cool memento of the occasion.

[divergentdave]

Could it be this one?

[Cynette]

Originally Posted by divergentdave

Could it be this one?

I doubt thats the one he was talking about. Juneteenth is a pretty serious date in history.

It sounded like it had something to do with congratulating a FIRST team on winning an award...

Hurry back Jeremiah so we can have the answer!

[Jeremiah Johnson]

It was S.RES.291 congratulating the White Sox for winning the World Series in 2005. I guess I'd just never heard of a resolution being passed to congratulate a pro team before. I've seen college teams visit the White House and whatnot before.

[KelliV]

The Sox was a REALLY big deal for us and I want to say that Obama is from the south side area. We haven't had a real winning team since the glorious '85 bears.

[Jeremiah Johnson]

Originally Posted by KelliV

The Sox was a REALLY big deal for us and I want to say that Obama is from the south side area. We haven't had a real winning team since the glorious '85 bears.

I know... I live on the other side of Illinois and I have to deal with people whining about the Cubs, Bear, and Cardinals. Not so much the Sox. They are pretty much hated around here, although I like them. I just found it entertaining. I wonder how many more resolutions there are like that one.

[Mike Schroeder]

Team 25 has also been Entered into Congressional Records in the same manor by our Local Congressman, Rush Holt, It doesnt do anyone any good, but hey i think its pretty cool, to see a congressman show passion for something.

[Cory]

Originally Posted by Budda648

It was S.RES.291 congratulating the White Sox for winning the World Series in 2005. I guess I'd just never heard of a resolution being passed to congratulate a pro team before. I've seen college teams visit the White House and whatnot before.

This happens all the time. It's definitely the norm.

[Elgin Clock]

Originally Posted by KelliV

The Sox was a REALLY big deal for us and I want to say that Obama is from the south side area. We haven't had a real winning team since the glorious '85 bears.

So.. you call Da Bears a "real" winning team.

What about Da Bulls??

Even though they are not my team, and I cursed them everytime my team would play them, in the 90's they were virtually unstoppable with Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman amongst many others..

[jpsaul7usa]

Originally Posted by KelliV

We haven't had a real winning team since the glorious '85 bears.

You don't call 6 NBA Championships in 8 seasons winning? That was an ERA of glory. Especially when they beat the Suns in '93 and everyone in Phoenix was crushed. I'm glad I lived there to witness it.

I can't think of any good things to come from Congress in the last few sessions. Everyone who's 18 and older had better vote this November. Look up the local propositions too. They're getting scarier every election. Arizona is on the verge of becoming an ultra-conservative state. Time to go to grad school in California!

[Jeremiah Johnson]

Has anyone read the wording?

Whereas this is the first championship for the White Sox since 1917, when Woodrow Wilson was president and the United States was fighting in World War I;

Whereas the White Sox posted a regular season record of 99-63 and dominated their opponents during the playoffs, compiling 11 wins and only 1 loss, and finishing with an 8-game win streak that included a sweep in the Fall Classic;

Whereas the city of Chicago and White Sox fans have faithfully stuck by their team during the decades it spent in baseball's wilderness;

Whereas a new generation of young fans in Chicago and around Illinois are discovering the joy of world championship baseball;

I'll tell ya who's stuck by as loyal fans... the lonely Cubs fans...

On another note, I've never seen so many whereas's in my life. Is Fall Classic really appropriate for a piece of legislation? And what is baseball's wilderness and where is it located?

I guess the thing that made me laugh the most was the wording of the actually piece of legislation. It's just not lawyer enough for me. Maybe they should have the GDC write it next time.

[KelliV]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

What about Da Bulls??

To tell you the truth I forgot about them. They were the entire nation's team, not really Chicago's. Although I do remember the fireworks going off and standing in my lawn when they won the repeat 3peat.

And although the Sox were big this year, Cubbie Blue will always be my color and I can really care less how the Sox are doing.