Top 10 Goofy Congressional Resolutions: Jean Schmidt's 'Watermelon Month' Is No. 2 In National Ranking

TOLEDO (TDB) -- For some reason, Dennis Kucinich's effort to impeach President Bush didn't make the cut. But Jean Schmidt's effort to honor the watermelon is on the list of the top 10 Congressional resolutions (sarcasm alert) of the 110th Congress. The list was compiled by Taxpayers for Common Sense. Republicans and Democrats alike sponsored and signed on to some pretty silly measures, and you can click onto the list to see who put their names on the resolutions:

1. S.RES.440: A resolution recognizing soil as an essential natural resource, and soils professionals as playing a critical role in managing our Nation's soil resources.
2. S.RES.262: A resolution designating July 2007 as "National Watermelon Month".
3. H.RES.216: Congratulating the men's volleyball team of the University of California, Irvine, for winning the 2007 NCAA Division I Men's Volleyball National Championship.
4. S.RES.180: A resolution recognizing the 70th anniversary of the Idaho Potato Commission and designating May 2007 as "Idaho Potato Month".
5. H.RES.630: Congratulating the Warner Robins Little League Baseball Team from Warner Robins, Georgia, on winning the 2007 Little League World Series Championship.
6. H.RES.970: Expressing support for designation of June 30 as "National Corvette Day".
7. H.RES.1050: Recognizing Pittsfield, Massachusetts, as being home to the earliest known reference to the word "baseball" in the United States as well as being the birthplace of college baseball.
8. H.RES.89: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a day should be established as Dutch-American Friendship Day to celebrate the historic ties of the United States and the Netherlands.
9. H.RES.892: Expressing support for designation of a "National Funeral Director and Mortician Recognition Day".
10. H.RES.483: Recognizing the 63rd Anniversary of Big Bend National Park, established on June 12, 1944.

H/T Michigan Liberal, which seems to think that Congress ought to have better things to do these days.

Happy National Watermelon Month: July Is For The Big Fruit Thanks To OH-02's Jean Schmidt

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The House has officially declared July "National Watermelon Month," and U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-OH-02, cosponsored the fruity measure. She was the only lawmaker from Ohio who put her name on the resolution. There's more from The Daily Bellwether's archives about National Watermelon Month.

[UPDATE: 7:45 PM -- July is already National Baked Beans Month. And, as they say, "Good God, open the window."]

OH-02 GOP Jean Schmidt: USA Needs National Watermelon Month

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- This is almost too fruity to believe. Oh-02 Republican U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt agreed last month to cosponsor a House resolution perpetually declaring July "National Watermelon Month." But don't mark your calendars yet. The measure has been buried in a committee. And at the moment, Schmidt seems to be the only member of the Ohio House delegation who considers this a matter of such import it deserves congressional attention.

The push for a National Watermelon Month is backed by the National Watermelon Association, a trade group for the watermelon growers and dealers. Is it possible that Schmidt -- who signed on to co-sponsor H.R. 578 on December 11, 2007 -- agreed to lend her support in exchange for a campaign contribution or some other form of political support this election year? Perhaps the growers have in mind some kind of fundraising event or reception. Her interest in watermelons seems puzzling because watermelon production is not exactly a huge industry in Ohio, nor in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District which includes Cincinnati, its East Side suburbs and five Appalachian counties.

Schmidt put her name on co-sponsor list less than a month after
Dummocrats rated the National Watermelon Month resolution as among the silliest introduced in Congress this session. The measure notes that 4.2 billion pounds of watermelon are grown in the U.S. each year, that they are eaten and bought in all 50 states and are exported to Canada. It also proclaims that watermelon has been a nutritious family favorite for generations of Americans. H.R. 578 goes on to declare:

"Resolved, that it is the sense of the House of Representatives that there should be established a National Watermelon Month to recognize the health benefits of watermelon and the importance of watermelon to the agriculture industry of the United States."