EMERSON ON RIGHT TRACK WITH HIS REFORM AGENDA

The local congressman on this side of the river, U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson, held forth on a national television program this week, his subject one that gets attention nationwide these days: what to do with Congress. The Cape Girardeau lawmaker sits on a joint congressional committee investigating this very topic. We liked a lot of what Rep. Emerson had to say, believe most of the nation did too and hold out hope that this committee is more than just an illusory attempt to appease an irritated American public.

Rep. Emerson is one of 28 members (half each from the House and Senate, an equal division from respective parties) on the committee. He has been outspoken in his call for congressional reform since taking office in 1981, and this panel represents an opportunity for him to advance his views. As a member of the minority party in Congress, he is probably not holding his breath on sweeping reforms coming about. Still, there is plenty of room for improvement, and some might emerge.

Among other things, Rep. Emerson would like to see:

A reduction in the number of congressional committees and subcommittees, all of which require additional staff and occupy more of the time of members;

Regular five-day work weeks for six or seven months instead of shortened work weeks year-round;

A line-item veto for the president;

The utilization of retired judges to act on congressional ethics cases, as opposed to members sitting in judgment of their own.

Rep. Emerson raises some reasonable issues. Since the number of elected officials is finite, piling committees on top of committees turns more power over to staff members, who proliferate and run up the budget. Congress may be the only government institution people want to do less; why not have the lawmakers meet half a year and then go home to the real world half a year? A line-item veto, a power most governors possess, would be a valuable check on Congress. And it should seem a relief to lawmakers not to have to hear the alleged ethical violations of colleagues; let judges arbitrate these matters.

In the wake of the House bank scandal and the House post office scandal and sundry other scandals, America wants Congress to clean up its act. The people of this nation like to think of the institution that directs their tax dollars as one that reflects most of them: responsible, ethical and willing to live within a given financial means. The joint committee, just beginning its work, has an opportunity to return integrity to Capitol Hill, to allow Americans to believe again in Congress. We hope this promise is realized.