Congress is a place where many good ideas and policy go to die, all the while screaming bloody murder via token testimony in front of some obscure subcommittee.

How about if EP regulars select a bill you know is good policy, much needed legislation and write about it. Update us on it's status.

Let's try to get these policies some love.

I'll start.

Peter DeFazio wrote H.R.1875, Title: To establish an Emergency Commission To End the Trade Deficit.

End the Trade Deficit Act

End the Trade Deficit Act - Establishes the Emergency Commission To End the Trade Deficit to develop a trade policy plan to eliminate the U.S. merchandise trade deficit and to develop a competitive trade policy for the 21st century.

Requires the Commission to report to the President and to Congress on: (1) its findings and conclusions; (2) a detailed plan for reducing both the overall trade deficit and specific bilateral trade deficits; and (3) any recommendations for administrative and legislative actions necessary for such reductions.

Prohibits the President from submitting to Congress any free trade agreement or legislation implementing one until: (1) the report has been delivered to Congress and to the President; and (2) specified congressional committees have completed a hearing on it.

Wow. What a simple idea. Let's find out what is causing the U.S. trade deficit and consider new strategy to end it.

DeFazio has submitted this idea last year and so has Senator Byron Dorgan. Of course this common sense approach, to simply discover what is going on as well as new strategies and recommendations for new trade policies be worked on in detail.

Of course this bill went to the Ways and Means Committee...to die.

Can we get it resurrected?

What bill are you aware of that would be a very common sense thing to do which instead gets buried in committee, never to be even brought up for a vote?