Eliot Engel: “I have no desire to frustrate colleagues; but a lot of us here are very frustrated over the quick change that was made…”

“I have no desire to frustrate colleagues; but a lot of us here are very frustrated over the quick change that was made with the unanimous consent and our inability now even to ask to strike the last word. My frustration is that last night at 8 p.m. this bill had not been introduced. A copy was not available to start the process of review or drafting of amendments. This morning we had the text of the bill on line, but not the accompanying report. And now we have a unanimous consent to limit amendments to ones that were preprinted in the Record, which for Members not on Appropriations is impossible, unless it is a simple limitation or 'to strike' amendment. I have an amendment which would move money from the National Telecommunication and Information Administration to the Public Telecommunication Facilities, Planning and Construction Program, which is called TFPC. As a courtesy to the authorizing committee members, I believe we should have an opportunity to review the bill and offer amendments.”