On the recordFebruary 6, 2012
Well, I don't agree that we're past the midnight hour, but I agree that we're past the point of no return. The gentleman wanted to talk about cost. This bill costs $68 million, a great deal more than another bill that I do support, the Oversight and Government Reform bill. I serve on that committee as well. I was willing, since this bill was coming to the floor first and since I had worked with the gentleman on this bill all along, to support this bill, but I don't think you can make the case that this bill is less costly than the Oversight and Government Reform bill. I would have thought that my colleagues on the other side would have gotten together to work that problem of two different bills out for themselves. My chief regret is to have spent a lot of time and effort and conversation that I believed was getting somewhere. Perhaps it was all a big misunderstanding. But if it were, if that's what it was, we certainly informed the other side about my concern before we came. That concern remains. I don't have any further speakers. I regretfully cannot support the bill before us. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
