First, early in the week, the most radical of the two House bills, Rep. Kevin Brady's H.R. 3282, was pulled from the House's voting schedule. A vote was still scheduled for the other, Rep. Todd Tiahrt's H.R. 5766.

Because of provisions in the bill that thoughtful lawmakers on either side of the aisle could never agree to (such as putting Social Security and environmental, health, and safety regulations on the chopping block) and vocal opposition from citizens and public interest groups, Congress pulled the bills from the schedule at the last minute, delaying the votes until the fall.

Both Brady and Tiahrt vow to bring their bills back to the floor when Congress returns from its August recess, but both bills will likely continue to face the hurdle of garnering the support of House appropriators. House Appropriations Committee Chair Jerry Lewis (R-CA), as well as many members on the appropriations committee, have expressed strong reservations about sunset legislation. They fear independent commissions could supplant the authority of Congress, including its responsibilities surrounding the appropriations process.

Continuing to take action and spread the word will ensure that Congress does not believe the pressure is off.

While members are back in their districts for the August recess, their constituents can also use the time to demand answers about the threat of sunset commission legislation.