US House learns to listen

Friday, February 10, 2012

Enlarge

After suffering from hard hearing in recent years, the U.S. House of Representatives is now listening to the people it serves and is responding to what you say. We saw fresh evidence of that two weeks ago. To truly appreciate this remarkable turnaround, let’s go back two years.

In the early days of 2010, the Nancy Pelosi-led House of Representatives and the Obama White House were working in a fever pitch to pass a national health care overhaul bill. They were determined to cram this gigantic bill down your throat whether you wanted it or not. It was so massive (the legislation ran an incredible 1,990 pages) and so complex, then-House Speaker Pelosi infamously said, “But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.” Translation: “Washington knows what’s good for you, so take your medicine. You’ll thank us later.”

Capitol Hill was flooded with a tidal wave of protests from Americans saying “Not so fast!” Thousands of Granite Staters made phone calls, sent letters and e-mails, and even made the long drive to Washington to protest in person.

And how did that Congress respond? It turned a deaf ear to your concerns and followed the Pelosi-Obama marching orders. Through bare knuckle politics, health care reform was rammed through Congress and signed into law with complete disregard for the will of the people.

Eight months later, the House of Representatives changed hands, infusing it with 87 Republican freshmen who see things differently than the old Pelosi-led House. Thanks to you, I was one of those freshmen. One of the very first votes I cast upon entering the new Congress was to repeal that health care reform law. It passed the House, but the Senate rejected a similar repeal bill.

Fast forward to two weeks ago, when there was a massive, nationwide outcry against the Stop Online Piracy Act and its counterpart in the Senate, the Protect IP Act. People were rightfully concerned that these bills would have opened the door for the federal government to decide what gets on the Internet and what doesn’t. I opposed SOPA from the beginning. We all agree that Internet piracy is a serious and costly problem that must be addressed. But trampling on our First Amendment right to free speech isn’t the way to do it.

As word of the problems SOPA might have caused spread, several major Web sites turned their spotlight on the issue. Google’s famous icon was blacked out. Wikipedia even took the unprecedented step of stopping its English operations for 24 hours. That got plenty of attention, and Granite Staters responded.

My office received more than 4,000 e-mails, phone calls and faxes that week, almost entirely in opposition to SOPA. I told them that I shared their concerns and am opposed to SOPA in its current form.

The reaction was equally loud in other House and Senate offices, and it made an immediate impact. One by one, many Congressmen and Senators began backing away from the bill they had previously supported. SOPA was sent back to committee to be overhauled.

The people spoke and the House honored their wishes. What a complete turnaround from 2010 health care reform debate!

It’s easy to fall victim to cynicism. People are rightfully frustrated by the partisan gridlock that has dominated Washington – including me. That makes it easy for folks to throw up their hands and say “Why bother? Congress doesn’t listen, and my personal involvement won’t make a difference.” But the recent SOPA experience shows that isn’t the case. The new House is listening and we are actively working to honor the mandate of the people.

Please know that as your Congressman, I listen to all views on different issues and will continue doing so as I serve you on Capitol Hill. I look forward to reporting back to you in two weeks on the latest developments in Washington. In the meantime, if I can be of service to you, or if you want to share your thoughts, suggestions or concerns with me, please contact me. Until next time, please know that I am always on your side and am actively fighting for New Hampshire’s interests in Washington.

U.S. Rep. Frank Guinta represents New Hampshire District 1 in Washington D.C. His column, “Frankly Speaking” can be read in the Merrimack Journal and Bedford Journal twice a month. He can be contacted in Washington at 1223 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515 or by phone at 1-202-225-5456. His New Hampshire office is at 33 Lowell St., Manchester, NH 03101 or 641-9536. Guinta can also be reached via e-mail by visiting https://guinta.house.gov/contact-me. You can also follow what he’s doing 24/7 on Facebook at www.facebook.com/repfrankguinta and on Twitter at @RepFrankGuinta.