Jerry Nadler: “This special interest legislation should not even be considered by the House today. It is being brought forward at the…”

“This special interest legislation should not even be considered by the House today. It is being brought forward at the eleventh hour from a secret, closed-door conference for which the House minority was virtually excluded. This secret, rushed and closed conference report was written by and for the special interests, perhaps best symbolizing everything that has gone wrong in this 105th Congress. The majority has ignored the needs of the American people in favor of the special interests, acting with recklessness and haste. That is what has happened for the last 2 years, and perhaps it is fitting that the majority chooses to finish this Congress with this bill true to form. There was exactly one meeting of the staff of all of the conferees of the House and the Senate. There was only one pro forma meeting of the conferees. Members were not given the opportunity to deal or even to make any motions dealing with any of the substantive issues at that meeting. And then there was never another meeting of the conferees and there was never another meeting of the conferees' staff. The House minority was resolutely excluded from whatever meetings did occur.”