David Thomas: “I will reach my hand out once again; we are willing to accept it. You slapped it away once. I hope the gentleman does…”

“I will reach my hand out once again; we are willing to accept it. You slapped it away once. I hope the gentleman does not slap it away a second time because as the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) has reminded us time and time again, there is not enough comity in this House, that we ought not treat each other the way we have been treated. I thought I would take the initiative. I find it interesting when the request is made repeatedly on this side, apparently it is just a request. When I accept that offer and reach my hand back, it is denied. So then you wonder why the request was made in the first place, or perhaps it was just a request that they hoped would remain out there, floating ephemeral. What I have done is I have put my hand out and said let us get to conference. The gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) says he does not know where the conference is or where it is going to meet. I tell the gentleman from New York, I do not know either. Why, as the gentleman well knows, the Senate is organizing this conference.”