Kendrick Meek: “it is an outright shame what the Republican majority has done. They have expressed themselves as the rubber-stamp…”

“it is an outright shame what the Republican majority has done. They have expressed themselves as the rubber-stamp Republican majority to the Bush White House. As you know, yesterday we took a vote here on this floor as relates to going into closed session to talk about the findings of the National Intelligence Estimate. I will tell you these are professionals that are working in clandestine agencies not only in this country, but throughout the world, and it is very, very important that the American people understand what is going on in Iraq. We can only come to the floor and try to put forth some sort of representation on behalf of the American people on the Democratic side. Mr. Speaker, the facts are right here. When it came down to voting for us to go into closed session to talk about national security, talk about the loss of our troops in Iraq, talk about those that are wounded, you want to talk about honor. The bottom line is that one Republican voted to go into closed session to talk about this National Intelligence Estimate; and 215 Republicans voted against it; 14 didn't even show up to vote. The bottom line is that the Democrats are willing to secure this country as we were voted and federalized to come up here and to do so. So when you walk up to this well here and see this word ``justice,'' give the American people some justice so we can go into closed session and protect the United States of America and not come to this floor and just talk.”