Political Quotes

“And I thank the gentleman for yielding me the customary 30 minutes. I am hearing quotes given about what people promised when and what is happening now, and yet under this very rule that we are considering, I fail to see how it is consistent with promises that our current Speaker has made. On January 5, 2011, our current Speaker, promised: You will always have the right to a robust debate and open process that allows you to represent your constituents, to make your case, offer alternatives, and to be heard. Furthermore, to my friends in the minority, I offer a commitment: openness. And yet how ironic is it that this very rule is the 75th closed rule of the 113th Congress? Now, what does a closed rule mean? A closed rule means that even if Democrats or Republicans have great ideas about how to improve or amend a bill, they are not even allowed to be discussed or voted upon on the floor of the House. A closed rule means the only say that I or my friends get as Members of Congress is to say ``yes'' or ``no.'' We don't get to improve upon the idea. We don't get to make it work better for our country. We don't get to offer changes that will reduce costs to taxpayers or improve the efficiency of the bill. We had a commitment from this current Speaker to have an open process, and yet here we have before us the 75th closed rule.…”