Duncan Hunter’s ONLY successful bill killed

Say what one will of the convicted legislative fraud that was Duncan Hunter (R-Vapeville), but in his 10 years in office partying and scamming like there was no tomorrow, he managed to pass ONE — count ’em ONE — measure out of a committee during his time in “public service.”

Yeah, it was “sarcastic,” Hunter said after his measure requiring women to register for the Selective Service was attached to the 2016 annual defense authorization bill, passing the Armed Service Subcommittee by a 32-30 vote in which amazed Democrats were joined by five Republicans breaking party ranks.

“While you may be offering this as a gotcha amendment, I would suggest that there is great merit, and recognizing that each of us have an obligation to be willing to serve our country in a time war, ” said Rep. Jackie Speier, a California Democrat.

And yeah, Hunter voted against the measure he co-sponsored supposedly to show America how ridiculous it was to make women register for the military draft. The other co-sponsor was Ryan Zinke, then representing Montana.

Almost needless to say, but we will considering Benghazi Moron Darrell Issa is now carpetbagging for Hunter’s seat, neither of these sponsoring paragons of virtue remain in Congress: Hunter was sentenced to 11 months in prison for misusing campaign funds and Zinke left to become the Secretary of the Interior under President Donald Trump. He resigned from that position while under investigation for land deals and use of his personal email for government business.

Nevertheless, that was Hunter’s sole legislative achievement aside from partying, vaping and, as we now know, scamming his way through Washington D.C.

Of course, given that Hunter was Donald Trump’s second congressional endorsement right around that time in 2016, it should surprise nobody that even that one semi-successful exercise in government didn’t last very long.

It didn’t even make it into the final version of the fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act.

Which brings us to Thursday, July 1. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a Pennsylvania Democrat and former Air Force captain, raised an amendment to include the recommendations of a congressional commission on national service in America, to include requiring women to participate in the draft registration system.

Don’t fret about having to burn those draft cards though, ladies. It’s men only required to register for the draft within 30 days of their 18th birthday.

Despite a bipartisan group of House members expressed support for Hunter’s sarcastic measure that would require women to register with selective service, the proposal to include it in the chamber’s national defense bill was withdrawn for procedural reasons.

The National Commission on Military, National and Public Service released a report in March containing the female draft in its 164 recommendations on service in America, addressing educational opportunities and civics to volunteerism and public service through nonprofit and governmental organizations, AmeriCorps, Teach for America, Peace Corps and the military services.

In introducing her amendment, Houlahan said she hoped the House Armed Services Committee — and eventually all of Congress — will have the opportunity to consider the recommendations, including requiring women to participate in selective service.

Founding member of the “Bro Caucus” Duncan Hunter blowing from a vaporizer during House Transportation Committee meeting./File

Several armed services committee members from both sides of the aisle expressed support for the commission’s recommendations including the ladies draft. However, their reasons were a bit more selectively considered than Hunter’s joke amendment that passed.

“Right now the draft is sexist,” Hunter said  — drum rim shot — as he filed the amendment to the House’s annual defense authorization bill requiring women between the ages of 18 and 26 to register for the Selective Service, the government agency that keeps records of who is eligible to be conscripted.

Hunter opposed the Pentagon’s 2016 decision to open all combat jobs to women. Ever the thoughtful one, Hunter said the fallout from allowing women to serve in all combat positions hadn’t been fully digested by Congress or the public.

“ I’ve talked to coffeehouse liberals in San Francisco and conservative families who pray three times a day, ” Hunter said during the markup of the Defense Authorization Act, which sets overall policy for the armed forces. “ And neither of those groups want their daughter to be drafted. ”

Hunter, a former Marine, believes the implications of allowing women to serve in all combat positions have yet to be fully digested by Congress or the public — and his amendment is intended to force the issue.

Making it on the boob tube

Like Trump, Hunter was ever the TV showman. Trevor Noah and The Daily Show blew it up on all over cable TV.

“Recently a congressman named Duncan Hunter introduced a bill that would force women to register for the draft,” Noah said with Hunter’s photo plastered on the screen.

“Now the interesting thing is he didn’t actually want woman in the draft,” Noah continued. “He just heard people debating about it and he wanted to prove that no one would actually vote on a bill to make it happen, so he introduced that bill, which can we take a second to acknowledge is ludicrous.

“Do voters know that there representatives spend time on this frivolous SH**. There are politicians out there campaigning like I’m going to Washington to propose sarcastic legislation (audience laughter). Are people like are you being sarcastic now. ‘No, I’m going to actually help you, idiots.’

“Like there’s real people doing it. Now, here is the weirdest thing about it.This fake bill that Duncan Hunter proposed sarcastically, it actually passed.”

Put that in your vape stick, my man, and smoke it.