Barney Frank: “I thank the gentlewoman. When we get to this bill, I will address the substance of the argument that the presence of…”

“I thank the gentlewoman. When we get to this bill, I will address the substance of the argument that the presence of someone like me will so destabilize our brave young men and women that they will be unable to do their duty. I regard that as bigoted nonsense, but I will address that more fully then. Now I want to talk about this bizarre procedural argument that we are somehow not following regular order. Madam Speaker, this amendment came up in regular order after the committee considered the bill and on the floor of the House, and it was adopted in a full vote on the floor of the House after a lot of debate. The Senate in committee adopted this amendment. The notion that the committees of jurisdiction have been deprived here is delusional. What is the procedural situation? In effect, the House, in a full debate on the floor, adopted this amendment. It went to the Senate. In the Senate, the Senate committee, by a majority, voted for this amendment and then voted the bill out, and it has been stopped twice narrowly by filibusters. It has gotten 57 and 58 votes. It has been openly debated. The notion that somehow we are the ones who are ignoring procedure when this bill gets a majority in the House after open debate on the floor, a majority in the Senate committee and is then filibustered makes no sense. Beyond that, we are told, Well, don't hold up the big bill. Well, that's the point of this.…”