Howard Berman: “But I deeply appreciate the gentleman's comments. My point is when you create institutionally a reason for a deadlock…”

“But I deeply appreciate the gentleman's comments. My point is when you create institutionally a reason for a deadlock, it does not matter what the motivations of the leadership or the Members are. We are human beings. We have a very difficult process. We are judging our peers, our friends, our colleagues, about matters that may be very serious, or may not seem so serious to us. None of us have the ability to overcome the institutional problems that this time certain creates. I do not know that I want to be part of a process which incentivizes the breakdown of it. The only reason I said yes to the request from my own leadership to take this position was because the challenge of seeing if this process could work on a bipartisan, nonpartisan basis. This one amendment really eviscerates our ability to do that. That is why I feel so very strongly about this particular unit.”