Lincoln Diaz-Balart: “I am very proud of my party today. After 40 years in opposition, being closed out time and time again with regard to the…”

“I am very proud of my party today. After 40 years in opposition, being closed out time and time again with regard to the ability, that most essential ability on behalf of one's constituents, to introduce amendments and to speak in behalf of those amendments on this floor, and despite, in addition to that, the very substantial legislative agenda that we have contracted with the American people that we will pass within the first 100 days and the necessary time constraints that come together with that agenda, despite that, we bring the first piece of legislation to the floor today with an open rule process, with an open rule. Now, it is not easy always to enter into dialog with the American people with regard to procedure, because it seems sometimes too technical. But the heart of democracy, Mr. Speaker, is procedure, just like the heart of due process of law is procedure, and the procedure that is at the heart of the fairness with which we are bringing forth this first piece of legislation today to the floor is called the open rule, the ability for all Members of this House, despite whether they are in the minority or majority, to bring forth whatever amendments they have on behalf of their constituents that they would like to be considered by their colleagues. So I am proud of my party. I am proud of the fact that despite the fact that we do not have to, because we are in the majority, we, nevertheless, are giving the opposition the fairness that they denied us.”