This week the House came in to pro forma session on March 10 and again on March 13. Staff for lead sponsors who are quick on the draw can add cosponsors to a bill even though very few, if any, Representatives are in town. On March 10 the House was in pro forma session for 2 minutes and 13 seconds. Eleven bills with 62 original cosponsors were introduced, and a total of 156 cosponsors were added to 44 different bills. On March 13 the House was in pro forma session for 5 minutes and 55 seconds. Thirteen bills with 44 original cosponsors were introduced, and a total of 158 cosponsors were added to 47 different bills.
So, why pro forma? Art. I, sec. 5, cl. 4 of the Constitution requires that, “Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.” The House was on a district work period this week with most Representatives working outside of Washington, while the Senate remained in session. This triggered the Constitutional requirement for a pro forma session of the House on Tuesday the 10th and again on Friday the 13th.
H.Con.Res. 23, calling for stamp to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the civil rights marches from Selma joined the top 25 at 20th place, while H.R. 752, an entirely Democratic cosponsored bill to ban the sale of magazines dropped off the list.
| Rank | Bill | Cosponsors | Author | Title | Status |
| 1 | HR 431 | Total: 303 115 R 188 D 0 I |
Terri A. Sewell (D-AL) | To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Foot Soldiers who participated in Bloody S… | Became Law |
| 2 | HR 160 | Total: 275 240 R 35 D 0 I |
Erik Paulsen (R-MN) | To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the excise tax on medical device… | Introduced |
| 3 | HR 699 | Total: 251 159 R 92 D 0 I |
Kevin Yoder (R-KS) | To amend title 18, United States Code, to update the privacy protections for electron… | Introduced |
| 4 | HR 1190 | Total: 206 188 R 18 D 0 I |
David P. Roe (R-TN) | To repeal the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act providing … | Introduced |
| 5 | HR 861 | Total: 192 0 R 192 D 0 I |
Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2015 | Introduced |
| 6 | HR 1031 | Total: 189 0 R 189 D 0 I |
Maxine Waters (D-CA) | To reauthorize the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and for other purposes. | Introduced |
| 7 | HR 36 | Total: 183 180 R 3 D 0 I |
Trent Franks (R-AZ) | To amend title 18, United States Code, to protect pain-capable unborn children, and f… | Introduced |
| 8 | HR 928 | Total: 177 172 R 5 D 0 I |
Charles W. Boustany, Jr. (R-LA) | To repeal the annual fee on health insurance providers enacted by the Patient Protect… | Introduced |
| 9 | HR 594 | Total: 174 171 R 3 D 0 I |
Paul A. Gosar (R-AZ) | To preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect to waters of the United… | Introduced |
| 10 | HR 969 | Total: 170 74 R 96 D 0 I |
Christopher P. Gibson (R-NY) | Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2015 | Introduced |
| 11 | HR 30 | Total: 156 150 R 6 D 0 I |
Todd C. Young (R-IN) | Save American Workers Act of 2015 | Passed House |
| 12 | HR 427 | Total: 151 151 R 0 D 0 I |
Todd C. Young (R-IN) | Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015 | Introduced |
| 13 | HRES 12 | Total: 149 25 R 124 D 0 I |
Sam Graves (R-MO) | Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States Postal Se… | Introduced |
| 14 | HR 1260 | Total: 145 0 R 145 D 0 I |
Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) | To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend and modify the American Opportun… | Introduced |
| 15 | HR 197 | Total: 142 4 R 138 D 0 I |
Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) | To repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and ensure respect for State regulation of marr… | Introduced |
| 16 | HR 24 | Total: 141 133 R 8 D 0 I |
Thomas Massie (R-KY) | Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 | Introduced |
| 17 | HR 217 | Total: 138 136 R 2 D 0 I |
Diane Black (R-TN) | To amend title X of the Public Health Service Act to prohibit family planning grants … | Introduced |
| 18 | HR 671 | Total: 136 11 R 125 D 0 I |
Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (D-GA) | To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Freedom Riders, collectively, in recogniti… | Introduced |
| 19 | HR 1286 | Total: 124 0 R 124 D 0 I |
Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT) | To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to eliminate the lower threshold for the r… | Introduced |
| 20 | HCONRES 23 | Total: 121 6 R 115 D 0 I |
Joyce Beatty (D-OH) | Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States Postal Service should issue a… | Introduced |
| 21 | HCONRES 17 | Total: 119 91 R 28 D 0 I |
K. Michael Conaway (R-TX) | Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act. | Introduced |
| 22 | HR 22 | Total: 118 114 R 4 D 0 I |
Rodney Davis (R-IL) | Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 | Passed House |
| 22 | HR 842 | Total: 118 36 R 82 D 0 I |
Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) | To require the Commissioner of Social Security to revise the medical and evaluation c… | Introduced |
| 22 | HR 940 | Total: 118 116 R 2 D 0 I |
Diane Black (R-TN) | To amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to protect rights of conscien… | Introduced |
| 25 | HR 596 | Total: 112 112 R 0 D 0 I |
Bradley Byrne (R-AL) | To repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related prov… | Passed House |