Melvin Watt: “I was one of several people in the committee who actually voted against reporting this bill favorably to the floor; and…”

“I was one of several people in the committee who actually voted against reporting this bill favorably to the floor; and while I am not personally planning to ask for a vote on the floor if somebody else does not ask for it, if a vote is requested, I intend to vote against the bill again. I think what has been said up to this point is correct. This bill is better in a number of respects than it was when it was originally introduced, and I want to applaud the chairman of the full committee and others who have worked to improve the bill. I do believe, however, that the bill continues to have one blind spot in it, and the blind spot could have been addressed if the bill had received subcommittee attention or more thorough attention in the full committee; and I am hopeful that this blind spot will be addressed if this bill moves forward in the process, because I think it is a serious blind spot.”