On Trafficking and Toxins, Congress Would Rather Fight Than Win
Even when they agree on issues, lawmakers find a way to keep from passing bipartisan legislation.
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It’s not that members of Congress don’t work hard; on the contrary, most are regular human storm clouds of activity. Yet they regularly manage to avoid accomplishing anything even on those matters on which they overwhelmingly agree.
Last week, for instance, they kept from passing a bill on human trafficking after Democrats discovered some abortion language in the law that they said they hadn't known was there. Naturally, Democrats would rather not pass a bill at all than sign off on that language. Just as Republicans would rather not pass a bill at all than strip out that language. Though the losers, members from both parties roundly agree, are the trafficked women both sides really do believe they want to help.