FYI-- > > There are no lack of issues. > > > > This week, the Senate Rules committee plans to address Senator Sam > > Brownback's Senate Resolution 172 "To establish a special committee > > of the Senate to address the cultural crisis facing America." The > > notion of a Culture Committee at all sets a dangerous precedent; this > > particular initiative targeting "social and cultural regression" will > > give Senators Brownback, Leiberman and McCain a greater platform to > > further their agenda of dictating what culture they find acceptable > > and appropriate. > > > > SR 172 says in part: > > "To establish a special committee of the Senate to address the > > cultural crisis facing America. > > RESOLVE: > > (b) PURPOSE- The purpose of the special committee is- > > (1) to study the causes and reasons for social and cultural regression; > > (2) to make such findings of fact as are warranted and > > appropriate, including the impact that such negative cultural trends > > and developments have on the broader society, particularly in regards > > to child well-being; and > > (3) to explore means of cultural renewal." > > > > You may remember Senator Sam Brownback as the force behind recent > > hearings on music and it's relationship to youth violence. > > > > PLEASE write to your Senator and ask them to vote against this resolution! > > To find the name, address, telephone, and often email address go to > > the US Senate page at http://www.senate.gov/ and click on your state. > > > > Remember: Be polite and thoughtful in your letter, if you go off on a > > Senator he will just ignore you. > > > > The full text of Senate Resolution #172 is reproduced below: > > > > > > > > 106th CONGRESS > > > > 1st Session > > > > S. RES. 172 > > > > To establish a special committee of the Senate to address the cultural > > crisis facing America. > > > > IN THE SENATE OF THE > > UNITED STATES > > > > August 4, 1999 > > > > Mr. BROWNBACK (for himself, Mr. MOYNIHAN, Mr. LOTT, Mr. DORGAN, > > Mr. ALLARD, > > Mr. CONRAD, Mr. ABRAHAM, Mr. COVERDELL, > > Mr. SESSIONS, and Mr. CRAIG) submitted the following resolution; which was > > referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration > > > > > > > > RESOLUTION > > > > To establish a special committee of the Senate to address the cultural > > crisis facing America. > > > > Resolved, > > > > SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE. > > > > (a) ESTABLISHMENT- There is established a special committee of the > > Senate to be known as the Special Committee on American Culture > > (hereafter in this resolution referred to as the `special > > committee'). > > > > (b) PURPOSE- The purpose of the special committee is-- > > > > (1) to study the causes and reasons for social and cultural > > regression; > > > > (2) to make such findings of fact as are warranted and > > appropriate, including the impact that such negative cultural trends and > > developments > > have on the broader society, particularly in > > regards to child > > well-being; and > > > > (3) to explore means of cultural renewal. > > > > No proposed legislation shall be referred to the special > > committee, > > and the committee shall not have power to report by bill, or > > otherwise have > > legislative jurisdiction. > > > > (c) TREATMENT AS STANDING COMMITTEE- For purposes of paragraphs 1, > > 2, 7(a) (1) and (2), and 10(a) of rule XXVI and rule XXVII of > > the Standing Rules of the Senate, and section 202 (i) and > > (j) of the > > Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946, the special committee shall be > > treated as a > > standing committee of the Senate. > > > > SEC. 2. MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE. > > > > (a) MEMBERSHIP- > > > > (1) IN GENERAL- The special committee shall consist of 7 > > members of the Senate-- > > > > (A) 4 of whom shall be appointed by the President pro > > tempore of the Senate from the majority party of the Senate upon the > > recommendation of the Majority Leader of the > > Senate; and > > > > (B) 3 of whom shall be appointed by the President pro > > tempore of the Senate from the minority party of the Senate upon the > > recommendation of the Minority Leader of the Senate. > > > > (2) VACANCIES- Vacancies in the membership of the special > > committee shall not affect the authority of the remaining members > > to execute > > the functions of the special committee and shall > > be filled in > > the same manner as original appointments to it are made. > > > > (3) SERVICE- For the purpose of paragraph 4 of rule XXV of > > the Standing Rules of the Senate, service of a Senator as a member, > > chairman, or vice chairman of the special > > committee shall not > > be taken into account. > > > > (b) CHAIRMAN- The chairman of the special committee shall be > > selected by the Majority Leader of the Senate and the vice chairman of the > > special > > committee shall be selected by the Minority Leader of the Senate. > > The vice chairman shall discharge such responsibilities as the special > > committee or > > the chairman may assign. > > > > SEC. 3. AUTHORITY OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE. > > > > (a) IN GENERAL- For the purposes of this resolution, the special > > committee is authorized, in its discretion-- > > > > (1) to make expenditures from the contingent fund > > of the Senate; > > > > (2) to employ personnel; > > > > (3) to hold hearings; > > > > (4) to sit and act at any time or place during the > > sessions, > > recesses, and adjourned periods of the Senate; > > > > (5) to require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance of > > witnesses and the production of correspondence, books, papers, and > > documents; > > > > (6) to take depositions and other testimony; > > > > (7) to procure the services of individual consultations or > > organizations thereof, in accordance with the provisions of section 202(i) > > of the > > Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946; and > > > > (8) with the prior consent of the Government department or > > agency concerned and the Committee on Rules and Administration, > > to use on a > > nonreimbursable basis the services of personnel of any such > > department or agency. > > > > (b) OATHS FOR WITNESSES- The chairman of the special committee or > > any member thereof may administer oaths to witnesses. > > > > (c) SUBPOENAS- Subpoenas authorized by the special > > committee may be-- > > > > (1) issued over the signature of the chairman after > > consultation with the vice chairman, or any member of the special > > committee > > designated > > by the chairman after consultation with the vice > > chairman; and > > > > (2) served by any person designated by the chairman or the > > member signing the subpoena. > > > > (d) OTHER COMMITTEE STAFF- The special committee may use, with the > > prior consent of the chairman of any other Senate committee or the > > chairman of any subcommittee of any committee of the > > Senate and on a > > nonreimburseable basis, the facilities or services of any members of the > > staff > > of such other Senate committee whenever the special > > committee or its > > chairman, following consultation with the vice chairman, > > considers that such > > action is necessary or appropriate to enable the special committee > > to make the investigation and study provided for in this resolution. > > > > (e) USE OF OFFICE SPACE- The staff of the special committee may be > > located in the personal office of a Member of the special committee. > > > > SEC. 4. REPORT AND TERMINATION. > > > > The special committee shall report its findings, together > > with such > > recommendations as it deems advisable, to the Senate prior to December 31, > > 2000. > > > > SEC. 5. FUNDING. > > > > (a) IN GENERAL- From the date this resolution is agreed to through > > December 31, 2000, the expenses of the special committee incurred > > under this > > resolution-- > > > > (1) shall be paid out of the miscellaneous items account of > > the contingent fund of the Senate; > > > > (2) shall not exceed $500,000, of which amount not > > to exceed > > $150,000 shall be available for the procurement of the services of > > individual > > consultants, or organizations thereof, as authorized by > > section 202(i) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. > > 72a(i)); and > > > > (3) shall include sums in addition to expenses described > > under paragraph (2), as may be necessary for agency contributions > > related to > > compensation of employees of the special committee. > > > > (b) PAYMENT OF EXPENSES- Payment of expenses of the special > > committee shall be disbursed upon vouchers approved by the > > chairman, except > > that vouchers shall not be required for disbursements of salaries > > (and related agency contributions) paid at an annual rate. > > > > > > > > > > Roger Johnson > > 38 West 106 St. > > New York, NY 10025 > > (212) 662-3686 > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > ________________________________ > > Reebee Garofalo > > University of Massachusetts Boston > > 100 Morrisey Blvd. > > Boston, MA 02125 > > USA > > 617-287-7240 > > ____________ > > Check out the Blue Suede Boppers at > > http://www.havetodance.com/bluesuedeboppers/ > > > > Check out ROCKIN' OUT at > > http://www.abacon.com/books/ab_0205137032.html > >
