George Miller: “Members of the House, as a Member of this House on the Democratic side of the aisle who for 20 years never brought a…”

“Members of the House, as a Member of this House on the Democratic side of the aisle who for 20 years never brought a bill to the floor under a closed rule, I am sure that I speak with credibility that this change is supposed to be about opening up this debate, and in fact that has not happened. The test is not whether this is more open than what we did on opening day. The test is whether or not this rule is open or closed, and this rule is, in fact, closed. What is your fear of having an open rule on congressional reform? That we would overreform the House of Representatives? Hard to conceived of that. What is your fear of having an open rule when you in fact have the votes to beat down any amendment that you do not like? What is your fear, that we would overreform? I do not think so. Your fear is we would offer what is not in here. The point is this: It is what you do not put in these rules that disturbs us and disturbs the American public, and that is breaking the link between lawyers, lobbyists, money, and legislators, ending the gifts that can be given to legislators and recognizing when the freshman Members took the oath here today, they were given a voting card, not a right to receive gifts to NFL games, to lunches and to dinners.”