Resolution of Inquiry Directing the Secretary of Commerce to transmit to the House of Representatives a copy of a workforce globalization final draft report produced by the Technology Administration.
The Resolution was defeated in Committee March 29;
The Committee reported the Resolution to the House without recommendation April 5, 2006
House Science Committee Democrats today reached an agreement with their Republican counterparts to jointly request that the U.S. Department of Commerce turn over valuable data on offshoring of U.S. jobs....
"I thank the Chairman for accepting the compromise that I put forward," stated Ranking Member Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN). "I look forward to getting the data and putting it to good use for hardworking Americans...."
"Our hope was simple and today we were successful," added Rep. Gordon. "We wanted to find out what the best analysts in the Federal Government had to say about why so many U.S. jobs are going overseas. If that data gained from this compromise leads to action that saves just one American job, this effort will have been worth it."
"I agreed to work in good faith today with the Chairman in return for getting the most information we can about the fate of American jobs," concluded Rep. Gordon.
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The Committee met on March 29, 2006, to consider and mark up the Resolution of Inquiry. Two roll-call votes were recorded:
| Member | Yes | No | Not voting |
Present |
| Boehlert (R-NY) | X | |||
| Hall (R-TX) | X | |||
| Smith (R-TX) | X | |||
| Weldon (R-PA) | X | |||
| Rohrabacher (R-CA) | X | |||
| Calvert (R-CA) | X | |||
| Bartlett (R-MD) | X | |||
| Ehlers (R-MI) | X | |||
| Gutknecht (R-MN) | X | |||
| Lucas (R-OK) | X | |||
| Biggert (R-IL) | X | |||
| Gilchrest (R-MD) | X | |||
| Akin (R-MO) | X | |||
| Johnson (R-IL) | X | |||
| Forbes (R-VA) | X | |||
| Bonner (R-AL) | X | |||
| Feeney (R-FL) | X | |||
| Inglis (R-SC) | X | |||
| Reichert (R-WA) | X | |||
| Sodrel (R-IN) | X | |||
| Schwarz (R-MI) | X | |||
| McCaul (R-TX) | X | |||
| Member | Yes | No | Not voting |
Present |
| Gordon (D-TN) | X | |||
| Costello (D-IL) | X | |||
| Johnson (D-TX) | X | |||
| Woolsey (D-CA) | X | |||
| Hooley (D-OR) | X | |||
| Udall (D-CO) | X | |||
| Wu (D-OR) | X | |||
| Honda (D-CA) | X | |||
| Miller (D-NC) | X | |||
| Davis (D-TN) | X | |||
| Lipinski (D-IL) | X | |||
| Jackson Lee (D-TX) | X | |||
| Sherman (D-CA) | X | |||
| Baird (D-WA) | X | |||
| Matheson (D-UT) | X | |||
| Costa (D-CA) | X | |||
| Green (D-NY) | X | |||
| Melancon (D-LA) | X | |||
| Moore (D-KS) | X | |||
| TOTAL | 14 | 19 | 8 | |
| Attest: David A. Mayorga (Clerk) | ||||
With this vote, the Committee did not approve the Resolution. The Committee then considered a motion to report that decision to the House.
| Member | Yes | No | Not voting |
Present |
| Boehlert (R-NY) | X | |||
| Hall (R-TX) | X | |||
| Smith (R-TX) | X | |||
| Weldon (R-PA) | X | |||
| Rohrabacher (R-CA) | X | |||
| Calvert (R-CA) | X | |||
| Bartlett (R-MD) | X | |||
| Ehlers (R-MI) | X | |||
| Gutknecht (R-MN) | X | |||
| Lucas (R-OK) | X | |||
| Biggert (R-IL) | X | |||
| Gilchrest (R-MD) | X | |||
| Akin (R-MO) | X | |||
| Johnson (R-IL) | X | |||
| Forbes (R-VA) | X | |||
| Bonner (R-AL) | X | |||
| Feeney (R-FL) | X | |||
| Inglis (R-SC) | X | |||
| Reichert (R-WA) | X | |||
| Sodrel (R-IN) | X | |||
| Schwarz (R-MI) | X | |||
| McCaul (R-TX) | X | |||
| Member | Yes | No | Not voting |
Present |
| Gordon (D-TN) | X | |||
| Costello (D-IL) | X | |||
| Johnson (D-TX) | X | |||
| Woolsey (D-CA) | X | |||
| Hooley (D-OR) | X | |||
| Udall (D-CO) | X | |||
| Wu (D-OR) | X | |||
| Honda (D-CA) | X | |||
| Miller (D-NC) | X | |||
| Davis (D-TN) | X | |||
| Lipinski (D-IL) | X | |||
| Jackson Lee (D-TX) | X | |||
| Sherman (D-CA) | X | |||
| Baird (D-WA) | X | |||
| Matheson (D-UT) | X | |||
| Costa (D-CA) | X | |||
| Green (D-NY) | X | |||
| Melancon (D-LA) | X | |||
| Moore (D-KS) | X | |||
| TOTAL | 17 | 17 | 7 | |
| Attest: David A. Mayorga (Clerk) | ||||
The tie result in the second vote, by the precedents of the House, meant that the motion to report the Resolution to the House failed. Also, another motion to report the Resolution adversely would not be in order.
Directing the Secretary of Commerce to transmit to the House of Representatives a copy of a workforce globalization final draft report produced by the Technology Administration.
Resolved, That the Secretary of Commerce is directed to transmit to the House of Representatives, not later than 14 days after the date of the adoption of this resolution, a copy of the final draft report, produced by the professional staff of the Technology Administration, entitled: 'Six-Month Assessment of Workforce Globalization In Certain Knowledge-Based Industries'.
A Resolution of Inquiry (ROI) is one of the few procedural options in the House left for use by Democrats seeking information from Federal agencies or the Administration. Authorized under House Rule XIII, Clause 7, this parliamentary tool is considered the proper form to "request" factual information from the President or "direct" information from Agency or Department Heads.
Once introduced by a Member, the ROI is referred to the Committee of jurisdiction. Once received, the Committee has 14 legislative days to report the ROI (excluding day of introduction and day of discharge). The Committee may report the ROI favorably, adversely or without recommendation. If the Committee fails to report the ROI within the appropriate time, any Member of the House may offer a Motion to Discharge. If the Motion prevails, the ROI is considered on the House floor under the Hour Rule.
Committee Democrats introduced the ROI on March 9, 2006, and it was referred to the Science Committee. Every Committee Democrat cosponsored the resolution.
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