David Skaggs: “Mr. Speaker, this rule, although touted by the good chairman of the Committee on Rules, as exemplifying yet another…”

“Mr. Speaker, this rule, although touted by the good chairman of the Committee on Rules, as exemplifying yet another instance of reform is this place, really is belied in that regard. It is yet another example of cover and camouflage with which we have buried in an appropriations bill 13 pages of the most egregious, wrong-headed legislative language imaginable. Why in the world, Mr. Speaker, this was protected from a point of order is beyond me, but it is. And it should offend everyone's sense of regular order around this place that without any hearings, without any examination in the normal order of business, we would be putting a bill, an entire bill, dealing with a topic as sensitive as Government restrictions on political activity in this country, putting an entire bill into this appropriations measure. If for no other reason, not withstanding the reasons that have been outlined by the gentleman from Wisconsin for going ahead with this rule, we ought to seriously consider defeating it because of its protection of this provision. Nonetheless, we will have an opportunity, which I hope my colleagues will avail themselves of probably tomorrow, to get rid of this travesty, this frontal, headlong assault on first amendment protected activities in this country.”