Harold Volkmer: “even though the Committee on Rules in their generosity has made the amendment that I had printed in the Record in order…”

“even though the Committee on Rules in their generosity has made the amendment that I had printed in the Record in order, I still rise strongly in opposition to this rule. I do so because it is another case of not letting the House act on amendments that are normally in order but restricting amendments by this rule. Mr. Speaker, I think, again, it is a case of here we go again. When the Congress initially started, the day after, we were sworn in on the 4th of January, on the 5th the chairman of the Committee on Rules stood in that well, right at the podium on the Republican side, and talked about rules, and what we were going to do in rules, and how long it took for a bill to get out of committee, reports to be filed, and rules had to be done, and then the bill could come to the floor. It was very elaborate, very good, a very good education. Too bad there were not very many here to listen. This gentleman was, as the gentleman from New York knows. However, at that time, Mr. Speaker, I and the gentlewoman from Colorado inquired of the gentleman and lo and behold, the gentleman said that by the time the year was over, we were going to have 70 percent of our rules that were going to be open rules, open rules on bills. Mr. Speaker, we are not even 40 percent now. Here we go again. This is not an open rule on this bill.”