Lee Terry: “I must rise in opposition to this closed, or partially closed, rule. Thirty-four amendments is not overwhelming. Back…”

“I must rise in opposition to this closed, or partially closed, rule. Thirty-four amendments is not overwhelming. Back just a couple years ago, heck, we would have double or triple that many on an open rule. And it really saddens me to hear that if something will take time to debate or it's controversial, that we are not going to allow it on the floor anymore. Mr. Speaker, democracy isn't supposed to be easy; dictatorships are. Now, I will rise in support of the underlying bill because I'm going to stand with our men and women in uniform, whether it's current or retired; those are our veterans. This bill does a great deal of good for Offutt Air Force base, the Bellevue/Omaha area, for our veterans. One of the most significant is $56 million for the design of a new VA inpatient hospital facility for that entire regional area. The current facility was built 60 years ago. It is dilapidated to the point where it is no longer even safe, let alone meets the appropriate standards. So I am proud that the VA has decided and agrees with the entire congressional delegation and the community that this inpatient facility must be replaced and we begin that process.”