Debbie Wasserman Schultz: “While you are on the rule, about an hour ago, the Rules Committee reported a rule which are the directions that are…”

“While you are on the rule, about an hour ago, the Rules Committee reported a rule which are the directions that are given to the House for legislation that we consider each day. The Rules Committee gives us the parameters under which we can operate and act on each bill. So, the rule for tomorrow that has come out on a party-line vote for this budget reconciliation bill tomorrow, is called a closed rule. You may be asking, well, what is a closed rule, what does that mean? A lot of the terms we use in Washington are cryptic. A closed rule means that no one can offer any amendments to this bill. We will have, using the term that people have heard so often, an up-or-down vote on this budget reconciliation bill. A short time ago, I recall that one of the distinguished members of the Rules Committee was discussing with us how open the process is and how much input we as Democrats in the minority party have had in the process and how many amendments we have been able to get in and have considered. This document, this bill, that we are considering tomorrow is perhaps the most important piece of legislation which will have the most far- reaching impact of almost anything that we are going to consider in this Congress: $844 million in food stamps, eliminating 300,000 people off of food stamp rolls, cutting child care, $17.5 billion in financial assistance to college students.…”