Political Quotes

“I urge Members to vote for this. It is a rule exactly like we passed last year, almost verbatim. There is a difference. There is going to be a vote on this one. It was so noncontroversial last year, there was no vote on this rule. It was almost exactly like this one. It contained the same waivers for all these provisions that have been in this bill. There are 21 new ones, by the way. All those the gentleman referenced, we voted on over and over again in this bill. Some were put in by Republicans, some were put in by Democrats, some were put in by the Reagan or Bush administration. I am not sure the Clinton administration has put any in. My point is this: The rule is no different. It is an open rule. Members can strike anything in the bill. They can strike any number in the bill. I brought an open rule last year, and this is an open rule this year. I believe this is a fair rule. The issue is clear as to why this rule is controversial.”