Scott Walker: “I just want to emphasize the point he is making about the 5-minute rule and the way in which the kinds of rules are…”

“I just want to emphasize the point he is making about the 5-minute rule and the way in which the kinds of rules are being admitted here do, in fact, I think, enhance debate of the House of Representatives. In the past, the problem with the limitations that were put on many of these rules was they basically stifled debate. What you had was limitations on the offering of amendments, and then time limitations which assured that what happened on the House floor was that Members would offer the amendment and then, because of the time allocations, each Member would get allocated 1 minute or 2 minutes to get up and speak. As a result, the debate always went past each other. A Member would stand up and talk about cats. The next Member would stand up and talk about dogs. The next guy would stand up and talk about elephants. No one could understand what we were doing as a result of that kind of debate. Under the 5-minute rule, Members are permitted to yield to each other. They can get their time extended. The fact is you get real debate on the House floor. I think what we have seen happening out here on the floor in the last couple of weeks has, in fact, been impressive.”