Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
By Karoun Demirjian (contact) 
Monday, March 12, 2012 | 11:50 a.m.
WASHINGTON - You can tell a lawmaker is in a close race when her campaign starts claiming credit for legislation she didn’t write.
That’s what’s happening today with Rep. Shelley Berkley, who is running for Senate against Sen. Dean Heller, as she trots out Mayor Carolyn Goodman and other Las Vegas figures to praise what the campaign is calling her proposed expansion of the visa waiver program.
An expansion of the Visa Waiver Program would make it easier for tourists from more countries to come to the United States.
But the measure the campaign is trumpeting as “Berkley’s proposed expansion” and “Berkley’s legislation” isn’t hers: Rep. Mike Quigley, a Democrat from Illinois, wrote the bill.
The legislation (H.R. 3855), according to Quigley, seeks to “modernize” the “outdated” Visa Waiver Program that lets citizens of certain countries come to the United States for up to 90 days visa-free. So far, 36 countries have earned this distinction; by changing the way eligibility is determined, the legislation would likely expand that pool.
It’s an initiative Quigley has attempted to get through Congress before, and one Berkley has long supported. But she never wrote the legislation - only signed on as a co-sponsor.
Last month, Berkley spoke on the House floor about her support for legislation expanding the Visa Waiver program, though she didn’t mention the bill specifically.
“Increasing foreign travel through the Visa Waiver Program will ensure that Nevada’s cities remain among the top tourist destinations in the world,” she said.
“The answer for tourism-dependent states like Nevada is simple: It will put people back to work,” Berkley said, as she encouraged members of the House to “join me in creating, making job creation our top priority.”
It's fairly common practice for lawmakers who sign on to the bill to take some credit, at least for sponsoring and promoting the legislation. But according to the main online database of congressional bills, Berkley signed on to this year’s bill just last Friday -- the last to sign on among the 35 co-sponsors to the bill, which was filed Jan. 31. Nevada Republican Rep. Joe Heck signed onto the legislation in early February.
Berkley campaign spokesman Eric Koch said the recorded late registration was due to a “mess up in Thomas” -- www.thomas.gov is Congress’s chief online record of legislative activity. Koch confirmed that Quigley’s H.R. 3855 was the legislation she would be promoting at her event and dismissed any suggestion that the campaign was overplaying Berkley’s role in crafting the legislation.
“She’s a cosponsor and she’s promoting it,” Koch said.
It's a bit ironic, politicians, mostly the Democrats, want to ease Visa requirements, you know, with an ID and all that personal information required, but don't want any straggler that enters into a voting booth to show an ID. Opening doors and making friends is great for new restaurants but voting should be far more formal.
This story is severely biased and I find it truly disgusting! The media isn't supposed to take a biased position...if they are good at what they do and are committed to good journalism. The author of the story implies that Rep. Shelley Berkley tired to take claim for a House bill but never provides proof of that claim and she is quick to point out that Rep. Joe Heck signed onto the bill in February (02/09/2012 to be exact) which was one month ahead of Rep. Berkley (03/09/2012). However, the author failed to mention that Rep. Joe Heck never signed onto the original House bill (H.R. 959) which was introduced on 03/08/2011, two months after he assumed office. Rep. Shelley Berkley signed onto the original House bill on 03/15/2011. There was also never any mention of the Senate version of the bill which was introduced by Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (MD) on 03/07/2011 (one day earlier than Rep. Quigley introduced H.R. 959). This year's version of the Senate bill, S. 2046 with 8 co-sponsors, was introduced by Sen. Mikulski (MD) on 01/31/2012, the same day as H.R. 3855. Representatives and Senators sign onto various bills at different times and for many different reasons, this isn't anything new. To the author of the story, Karoun Demirjian, where is the proof of your claim that Rep. Berkley or her campaign is saying the bill is hers? Where is your journalistic integrity?
Berkely was in over her head as a congresswoman.
@CatanalBarnes: Journalistic integrity. Got news for you that went by the wayside back in 2008 during the election.
@ Vernon: Agreed that this bill requires more information about a person then at the voting booth.
One last thought though, why does a person coming here to vacation need a 90 day visa? I don't know anyone that vacations for 90 days so the comment from Berkley that it will help the Vegas economy is stretching it.