Rich Neal: “reclaiming my time, for the third year in a row we are now debating a resolution to pass a constitutional amendment to…”

“reclaiming my time, for the third year in a row we are now debating a resolution to pass a constitutional amendment to require a two-thirds majority for any bill making a change in the revenue laws unless it is, ``determined at the time of adoption in a reasonable manner prescribed by law not to increase revenue by more than a de minimis amount.'' The resolution failed to receive a two-thirds majority for passage the past two years, and last year the defeat was by a greater margin. All I can say about this resolution is that we have said enough about it and it is time to move on, instead of this waste of time with the gimmicks that are typically associated with these efforts in this House. Let us get away from the gimmicks. Mr. Speaker, if I can, we ought to call this the ``Republican Straight-Faced Amendment.'' There are Members of this House that vote for term limits after they have served for 20-plus years and do not retire. That constitutionally we ought to take the line-item veto and pass it down to the White House, because somehow they believe that there is more wisdom at that end of Pennsylvania Avenue than this end of Pennsylvania Avenue. And, Mr. Speaker, instead of doing our work, we ought to have a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, which we balanced without disturbing the Constitution.”