In the unhallowed halls of the U.S. Congress, a practice has taken root that undermines the very essence of democratic governance: the use of omnibus bills. These legislative behemoths, like the Continuing Resolution (CR) bill, the COVID-19 Stimulus Bill, or the so-called Inflation Reduction Act, and countless other omnibus bills like them are not just a testament to legislative inefficiency; they are a travesty of accountability, transparency, and the integrity of our laws.

Omnibus bills are essentially a legislative free-for-all, where hundreds of disparate issues, from veterans' care to tax loopholes for the wealthy, are bundled into one mammoth piece of legislation. They are the playground of backroom deals, where lawmakers can sneak in "rider" legislation—provisions that would never stand on their own merits if subjected to individual scrutiny. This practice has turned our legislative process into a mockery, where the quality of lawmaking is sacrificed at the altar of political expediency.

Take, for instance, the COVID-19 Stimulus Bill. Here, amidst the urgent need for economic relief, we found billions allocated for pet projects that had no business being part of a health and economic emergency response. Similarly, the Inflation Reduction Act, which was ostensibly about curbing inflation, was laden with pork like subsidies for electric vehicles and tax credits that did little to address the bill's primary purpose. This is not legislation; it's legislative hostage-taking.

This is why the One Subject at a Time Act is not just beneficial; it's essential. This proposed legislation would mandate that each bill or joint resolution encompasses only one subject, with that subject clearly articulated in its title. This would dismantle the practice of omnibus bills, ensuring each policy is debated, voted on, and passed or rejected on its own merit.

Consider the Patriot Act, another example where under the guise of national security, numerous unpatriotic expansions of government surveillance and privacy invasions were passed. If each of these provisions had to stand alone, many would have been rejected for their clear infringement on civil liberties.

The problem with omnibus bills extends beyond mere policy. They contribute significantly to the ballooning national debt, now nearing $37 trillion. How can we expect our representatives to manage our fiscal future when they're forced to vote on packages where billions are allocated to unrelated or unnecessary expenditures?

Congressman Russ Fulcher from Idaho rightly points out that in his state, each bill must address a single subject. This system holds legislators accountable because every policy is transparently debated and voted upon. If Idaho can do it, why can't the nation's capital? The One Subject at a Time Act would bring this accountability to the federal level, ensuring that every representative's vote reflects their true stance on each issue, not a compromise forced by the complexity and size of omnibus bills.

Congressman Andy Biggs has echoed this sentiment, acknowledging that the American people deserve transparency and accountability from their elected officials. The One Subject at a Time Act would restore some of the lost faith in Congress by ensuring that each law is passed with integrity, not through the subterfuge of omnibus legislation.

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert and others like her have rightly criticized Congress for turning legislation into a "Shop 'Till You Drop Sweepstakes," where special interest demands are hidden in plain sight among "motherhood and apple pie" issues. By limiting bills to one subject, we eliminate the opportunity for these bad provisions to sneak through. Alabama's Congressman Mo Brooks has highlighted the success of similar laws in his state, advocating for Congress to adopt a "one subject matter per bill" approach to restore integrity to the legislative process.

Congressman Ralph Norman emphasizes the need for bills to be judged on their own merits, not leveraged as hostages to pass unrelated legislation. One subject, one vote—this is the simplicity and clarity that the American public deserves.

Congressman Bill Posey underscores the importance of returning to the practice of passing individual appropriations bills rather than waiting until the last minute to force through omnibus spending packages that no one has the time or resources to fully review. This is not just about efficiency; it's about restoring the deliberative nature of Congress, where each policy can be debated on its own terms, not buried in a legislative leviathan where only the most diligent or those in the know can discern the true impact of their vote.