[cbs]

Is this your first time watching congress? Yes, shes required to read it, all you've really said is that its silly for her to do so, which it is. But its a formality and they'll normally move to have her STFU. In this case its a procedural runarund. Like a quorum in the senate, nobody actually cares that everyones there, and if they did care so much about attendance they'd have a better way to take it.

They did their homework beforehand, otherwise the chamber would be empty, like always.

[dolinsky]

When I have watched hearings in the past it has been to listen to debates (most of which wind up being read verbatim from a piece of paper), but the language used is more natural than that of a proposed bill/amendment.

As for doing their homework, from the events surrounding SOPA which have taken place to date and in reading the list of amendments to be discussed, I don't believe these JC members - save for a few like Lofgren, Polis, Sensenbrenner, Chaffetz - have done their homework.

Two of the most important amendments over the next two days: * performing a study on the impact of any bill prior to its enactment (why this isn't a part of judiciary procedure escapes me) * an expiry on the provision of the bill after 5 years, which I think is a wonderful idea.