John Mica: “I am here, though, to set a marker, partly a historical marker; and I will speak in opposition to this rule and also the…”

“I am here, though, to set a marker, partly a historical marker; and I will speak in opposition to this rule and also the way the rule was crafted. Madam Speaker, while the Committee on Rules calls this resolution an open rule, it is unfortunately extremely restrictive in nature. While the rule will allow for most amendments, unfortunately it weighs most points of order against consideration of the bill. Under clause 2 of rule XXI, the rules of the House allow for a point of order to be raised against any provision that is considered authorizing on an appropriations bill; however, this resolution that we are considering now waives that point of order. Now, again, I come here because, as the ranking member, the Republican leader on the House Transportation Committee, I said we need to set a marker. I was checking with the Parliamentarian, and as far back as we can look, the Founding Fathers and those that preceded us in these Chambers separated the authorizing process, authorizing projects and policy, from the appropriations policy.”