Political Quotes

“this is a bad rule. It is a bad bill, and the process is arrogantly crafted to deny the House the opportunity to consider important questions. It is the function of the Committee on Rules to make possible an orderly debate but also to see to it that important national questions are discussed. This is not a rule; it is a gag rule. The committee has chosen to deny the committees and the Members of this body opportunities to discuss very important matters. The rule is unfair to taxpayers. It greatly prevents us from addressing the question of how we will assure that banking insurance paid for by the taxpayer will not be used to cover risky, speculative activities. No amendment can be offered on this point. The rule is unfair to consumers. The rule does not permit amendments to restore consumer protections stripped out of the bill by the Committee on Rules. The bill preempts more than 1,700 State insurance laws across the country, and, if this bill passes in its current form, every State insurance law that is to protect consumers of insurance products will be essentially rendered null and void. We will be allowed to consider one consumer-related provision. That is an amendment to deny consumers meaningful information on the costs of products that they buy, and we will change that. This rule is unfair to investors. The bill still contains enormous loopholes in investor protections when securities are sold or underwritten by banks.”