Ben Cardin: “as I listen to my Republican colleagues talk about this rule, I understand why the Republican leadership is bringing…”

“as I listen to my Republican colleagues talk about this rule, I understand why the Republican leadership is bringing forward a closed rule, because if we had an open rule, we would end up with a very good bill that would do something about enforcing our laws against China. I listened to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. English) talk about this being the key trade vote of the year, and I think we should understand that the Committee on Rules is responsible to make sure that we have a fair and open debate by the manner in which they propose rules. There has never been an opportunity to offer a single amendment to this bill anywhere along the process, whether in the subcommittee, the full committee, or here on the floor. Mr. Speaker, I understand that Trade Promotional Authority gives the right of the administration to submit a trade-negotiated bill to the Congress after consultation and after a mock markup on an up-or-down vote. I just did not know that we had given the Republican leadership the right to bring out any bill they wanted to with an up-or-down vote without having democracy work. That is what this rule represents, and it is shameful. The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. English) talks about the tradition. The minority normally gets an opportunity to offer a substitute on a major bill. They do not even give us the right to offer a substitute. That is just wrong, and that is not a democratic process.…”