Victor Fazio: “Mr. Speaker, there is nothing about the establishment of this select subcommittee--be it process, procedure or…”

“Mr. Speaker, there is nothing about the establishment of this select subcommittee--be it process, procedure or substance--that is not profoundly flawed. Indeed, there are so many objectionable aspects to this funding request that it is difficult to know where to begin. Some of these many problems might have been avoided had the Republican majority not chosen to act with such unnecessary haste. Why all the rush? There has been no showing of such extraordinary circumstances that require the Republican majority to ram this legislation through the House with so little thought, discussion, preparation or analysis. This is certainly no way to do the people's business--a criticism that has become increasingly common in this Congress. Having told the minority virtually nothing about the need and purpose of this subcommittee, and having rushed this process to a ludicrous degree, the majority suddenly presented the Committee on House Oversight, and now presents before this House, with a subcommittee budget for 6 months at nearly one million dollars in taxpayer money. Annualized, this amounts to a budget of almost $2 million, making it the most expensive subcommittee established by the Republican majority this Congress. That is nearly three times the average amount for each of the House International Relations Committee's other standing subcommittees.”