TYLER, TX (KLTV) -
The House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 2367, the 21st Century Language Act of 2012, on Wednesday, which strikes the word "lunatic" from federal law - and East Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert cast the only "no" vote.
The law's supporters said that U.S. law should reflect a 21st century reflection of mental illness and disease.
Gohmert voted no, saying on the House floor that it was "lunacy" to pass legislation on word choice rather than worrying about the upcoming fiscal cliff and that the word should be used for anyone who continues to do "business as usual" in Washington.
"Let's get back up on top. You're never going to do that spending a trillion more, bringing in $2.4, $2.5 trillion dollars and spending over $3.5 trillion dollars. And we want to eliminate the word lunatic from the federal code? That's lunacy to think you can keep spending over a trillion dollars more than you bring in," Gohmert said on Wednesday during a speech on the House floor.
Gohmert said on the floor that it was time to get serious about the country's financial problems, calling for everyone to pay their fair share by paying a 15 percent, across the board flat tax rate.
The Senate passed the bill back in May, and it will now go to President Obama to be signed into law.
Copyright 2012 KLTV. All rights reserved.
