Melvin Watt: “I would just encourage my colleagues to make their own judgment. If we add up all of the debate time about this bill…”

“I would just encourage my colleagues to make their own judgment. If we add up all of the debate time about this bill, there will be about 3 hours. We are talking about undoing a system of law that has existed throughout our history, and we are doing it with 3 hours' worth of debate. Members should make the judgment about whether that is reasonable. Additionally, we are talking about doing it without consideration of any of the amendments, other than the five that were made in order, that were offered by people in this body who have or who represent the same number of people that the gentleman on the opposite side represents. Those amendments were not considered in committee and they will not be considered on the floor. So I do not know what this process is all about. We have made a mockery of the process in committee, and now we are about to do the same thing on the floor.”