Bart Stupak: “I wanted to just come down here because it is a very important issue. It is often said in this House we sort of rush…”

“I wanted to just come down here because it is a very important issue. It is often said in this House we sort of rush things through, and if it has 218 votes it passes; but the Senate is designed by our Founding Fathers to be more deliberate, more thoughtful, to take time and reason things out. In order to do that, the minority party, whichever party it may be at the time, has certain rights that must be respected and honored. And what we have seen these last few years, that has not happened. Unfortunately, when you have one party controlling the House, the Senate and the Presidency, at times they get caught up in their judicial power, their legislative power, their executive power; and they forget about the founding principles of this country, that is, that whether you are in the majority or minority party, there are certain things that should be respected and the right of the minority to be heard. Whether it is a filibuster, or whether it is on the floor to have an amendment or a substitute bill, the minority should always have that right. In the last few years, I know I and other members of the minority party have felt we have been blocked from even having any thoughtful consideration of legislation. It is the main bill, no amendments are made in order, especially Democratic amendments, and they just ram things through.…”