Read The Bill: Improve the legislative process by posting bills online for 72 hours before debate!

In February 2009, Congress passed the largest piece of spending legislation in history and NO ONE read the bill

Read the "Read The Bill" Bill at OpenCongress.

House Minority Leader John Boehner endorses idea of a 72 hour rule

Congress Should Take Its Time

You didn't have the time to read the 1100 page stimulus bill. And neither did members of Congress—by their own choice. Most lawmakers—on both sides of the aisle—were only given 13 hours to read the bill before it was passed.

Unfortunately, this is not an anomaly. Many members of Congress wish they had more time to Read the Bill.

ReadTheBill.org is a commonsense solution - we want Congress to post all bills online for 72 hours before they are debated. That gives members of Congress - and you - three days to read legislation and consider how it could potentially affect each of us in our daily lives. A 72 hour rule would also give you a chance to let your senators and representative in Congress know what you like, or don't like, about a bill before they vote.

If no one is taking the time to read these crucial pieces of legislation, then no one knows what's in them before they are passed.

Let's make sure Congress takes the time to Read the Bill. Sign our petition now.

ReadTheBill.org endorsed by Campbell Brown

"Congress should change its rules to require that non-emergency legislation and conference reports be posted on the Internet for 72 hours before debate begins."

What People are Saying

This Week in Transparency - July 2, 2009
Published on Sunlight Foundation by Mike Smith on July 2, 2009
Discussion Draft Follow-up
Published on Sunlight Foundation by Paul Blumenthal on June 30, 2009
Increasing Legislative Transparency: Read the Bill and Beyond
Published on Sunlight Foundation by Paul Blumenthal on June 29, 2009
Oh, the Irony ... Congressman Baird Champions Waiting Period, But Votes for Rushed Cap-and-Trade
Published on by on June 29, 2009
This Week In Transparency – June 26, 2009
Published on Sunlight Foundation by Mike Smith on June 26, 2009

#ReadTheBill on Twitter

A lot of nonsense about home and building standards under #ACES. Did you #readthebill? http://bit.ly/JQweD #capandtrade
CAP AND TRADE BILL WILL OUTSOURCE MORE JOBS. Can we afford that in this economy? READ the Bill http://readthebill.org #readthebill
"Congress doesn't read their legislation. There is no excuse. Make Congress #ReadtheBill http://www.readthebill.org"
The cost of cap and trade? Double electricity prices and worldwide starvation Http://tinyurl.com/nthbbj- #readthebill
Ask Congress to #readthebill http://readthebill.org/