Rich Neal: “I thank Mr. Levin for yielding to me. I want to speak specifically to what the previous gentleman has just stated. I had…”

“I thank Mr. Levin for yielding to me. I want to speak specifically to what the previous gentleman has just stated. I had not intended to speak because I am going to offer the motion to recommit on our side, but the gentleman appeared in his commentary to belittle the notion of procedure. Procedure in this institution is sacrosanct based upon the rules that we adopt in the earliest moments of the new Congress. I was struck by the notion that we should just cast aside and denigrate procedure. That is how the institution operates, based upon procedure, established precedent, and settled law. To suggest that somehow we could just offend procedure, we remind ourselves of what has happened to this institution during the last two decades when virtually all the Members on both sides got elected by running against the institution. They could never step away from the campaign rhetoric to get on with actual governance of the institution. Procedure in this institution means that we adhere to a prescribed set of rules and orders and, yes, goodwill. Now, again, I had not even intended to get up and talk about this issue, arcane as it might seem, but it underlies the whole notion of a representative democracy and a duly elected legislative institution. Procedure, the basic tenet of which is, oftentimes: Shall the institution simply concur with a motion to proceed? That is the antecedent of the term, ``procedure.'' That is how the body works.…”