Lynn N. Rivers: “I am a freshman who like many of you ran on the issue of reform. I campaigned for, supported, and have voted for many of…”

“I am a freshman who like many of you ran on the issue of reform. I campaigned for, supported, and have voted for many of the things we have dealt with today. So great was the call for reform in our freshman class and across this country that I really expected to come into a House today that would be liberated by the free flow of ideas. It has been just the opposite. On our very first day, the most symbolic day, I have come into a House were 100 percent of our rules are closed, where we will not have the opportunity to advance our ideas and see them win or lose in the court of public opinion. That is not allowed in the new Congress. There is no opportunity for amendments, no opportunity for fine tuning, and no opportunity to divide the question in a way that will allow us to represent our constituencies within many-itemed bills. This is not the new way, the good way. This is what you all campaigned against. And I think we should learn from Jerry Solomon who said the people are sick and tired of political gamesmanship. They want back their House, they want it open and democratic. I think so.”