Louise Slaughter: “Mr. Speaker, again the Committee on Rules has trampled on the rights of the minority and the voices of millions of…”

“Mr. Speaker, again the Committee on Rules has trampled on the rights of the minority and the voices of millions of Americans. Last night, the Committee held an emergency meeting to consider a rule for the Interior appropriations conference report. The Democrats had only an hour to skim the contents of the lengthy report before a quick hearing was held and the rules hastily approved along party lines. Now, this morning, the entire membership of the House is expected to consider the Interior appropriations conference report, even though Members had only a few late-night hours to scan the report. It is almost November, and we are well into the new fiscal year, with only three of the 13 appropriations bills enacted into law. But inefficiency does not justify our hurriedly passing a bill appropriating almost $20 billion. The American people expect their elected Representatives will have more than a handful of dark hours in the late night to consider vital legislation.”