Bruce Westerman: “If there is one thing that I think has come out in this discussion is that there are problems with this bill. It is not…”

“If there is one thing that I think has come out in this discussion is that there are problems with this bill. It is not a ``perfect piece of legislation.'' It needs work done on it. But we have to look at what the bill says. The way this bill is written, if it were to pass today, if it passes out of this House and it went through the process in the Senate, signed by the President, then we have abrogated all of our responsibilities and authority, because it doesn't come back to Congress for any kind of approval. So both sides have agreed, in a bipartisan manner, that this bill has problems, yet we are voting on it today to say, with problems, that is okay; we are just going to go ahead and move it through the process, even though we have all recognized that there are problems with the bill. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock). Mr. McCLINTOCK. Madam Speaker, we have heard a lot about self- determination today, but let's put that to the smell test. The options that the Democrats are presenting to the Puerto Rican people don't include the most obvious choice, to remain as a commonwealth. So if you prefer the status quo, you are completely out of luck. The Democrats have already decided you are not allowed to vote for that. That is not self-determination. That is rigging an election.…”