The Kline Record: 2004 Year in Review

Here's a complete log of freshman congressman John Kline's floor activity during his second full year in the House of Representatives:

• January: Served as Speaker Pro Tem on January 21.
• February: Made his annual speech recognizing Ronald Reagan's birthday.
• March: Served as Speaker Pro Tem several times, and responded to a somewhat unfair attack on George Bush's military record with an unfair attack of his own.
• April: Used the House floor to launch an unfair and nakedly partisan election-year attack on John Kerry, and to tell an inspiring story about a soldier qualifying to serve in Iraq after losing a leg in Afghanistan.
• May: Did another stint as Speaker Pro Tem, honored the retiring Lakeville City Administrator, and claimed that he and other Republicans deserve credit for introducing limited flexibility for students with disabilities to NCLB.
• June: Decried $336 million worth of waste in the Pell Grant program, paid tribute to the first Minnesotan killed in Iraq (11 months after the fact), did a stint as Speaker Pro Tem, eulogized Ronald Reagan and saluted the UM women's hockey team for their national title.
• July: Did a stint as Speaker Pro Tem.
• August: None. (Congress did not convene in August.)
• September: Was Speaker Pro Tem at least 5 times and spoke in support of a resolution honoring the families of service members.
• October: Spoke in opposition to reinstating the draft.
• November: Served as Speaker Pro Tem once again and handily won re-election.
• December: Led the Pledge of Allegiance at least once and honored retiring Minnesota Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, Jeff Olsen.

It's hard to believe, but in terms of floor activity it appears that John Kline accomplished even less in 2004, an election year, than he did in 2003, his first year in Congress. Although he only made three speeches which could fairly be called "policy speeches" both years, in 2003 he presented actual legislation and discussed it on the House floor three separate times. Additionally, Kline made a total of 10 "feel good" speeches honoring a collegiate athletics team, retiring bureaucrat or Ronald Reagan in 2003, but only 7 such speeches in 2004, along with two speeches attacking Democrats.

I wonder if Kline will continue this "do nothing" trend in 2005?