Steny Hoyer: “I want to tell those of my colleagues who were not here prior to 1994 that their side of the aisle was regularly…”

“I want to tell those of my colleagues who were not here prior to 1994 that their side of the aisle was regularly outraged at procedures that were pursued, none of which were as egregious as some of the process that we are confronted with. I do not believe this is a process that anybody on the Committee on Appropriations would sanction, on either side of the aisle. Mr. Speaker, I will be the first to admit this House can point to real legislative accomplishments this week. We considered our most solemn duty, a resolution authorizing our Commander-in-Chief to use our Armed Forces. We finally passed two appropriations conference reports; two down, 11 to go. We will soon take up landmark election reform legislation, the Help America Vote Act of 2002. But, Mr. Speaker, one week does not a session make. There is little doubt that the preceding 5 weeks were anything but an evasion of leadership and responsibility. While we bobbed and weaved, the American people took it on the chin again and again and again.”