Steny Hoyer: “Really what you just said is the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) is meeting with all those who seek to improve…”

“Really what you just said is the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) is meeting with all those who seek to improve the legislation. Improvement, of course, is in the eye of the beholder. There are 435 Members elected to this House, Mr. Leader, as we all know. Their perspective on what improves or harms legislation differs, sometimes very substantially. But our Founding Fathers, Mr. Leader, formed a House representing a diverse American public, from many regions of this country, many areas of every State. Every State has differences within that State. My State does. Your State does. To say that the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) is only going to talk to those that he perceives as interested in improving that legislation is to say that a bill that passed this House by one vote after the roll was kept open for some 45 minutes is to say that at least half of this House will be excluded. Mr. Leader, that is not in my opinion and in the opinion of this side of the aisle, and I believe in the opinion of the American people, the way they expect this House to run.”