Congress passes `doomsday' plan

The Constitution requires a majority in each house to constitute a quaorum for the purposes of lawmaking.

" But under the new rule, a majority of living congressmen no longer will be needed to do business under ``catastrophic circumstances.'' Instead, a majority of the congressmen able to show up at the House would be enough to conduct business, conceivably a dozen lawmakers or less. The House speaker would announce the number after a report by the House Sergeant at Arms. Any lawmaker unable to make it to the chamber would effectively not be counted as a congressman."

The circumstances include ``natural disaster, attack, contagion or similar calamity rendering Representatives incapable of attending the proceedings of the House.'' The House could be run by a small number of lawmakers for months, because House vacancies must be filled by special elections. Governors can make temporary appointments to the Senate. Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.), one of few lawmakers active on the issue, argued the rule change contradicts the U.S. Constitution. [...] "Changing what constitutes a quorum in this way would allow less than a dozen lawmakers to declare war on another nation,'' Baird said. "

Congress passes `doomsday' plan

I don't know what to think of this one... Under some circumstances, a gang of law makers are capable to take over the Government, and conduct business on our behalf... I just don't know about this one.