Patsy T. Mink: “The Republican leadership has provided us with no opportunity to amend this measure. We are being denied the opportunity…”

This process is deplorable. It flies in the face of the Constitution.

Today we are considering the conference report on the so-called Labor-HHS FY2000 appropriation measure, even though this measure has not even been voted on by the House.

The bill must originate in the House of Representatives. We must be given the opportunity to debate and amend this measure.

What I know is bad enough. It includes an across-the-board cut of 0.97%, and it undermines the Administration's class-size reduction initiative.