On the recordJuly 28, 2010
I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this rule. I want to make it clear that I'm very much in favor of the underlying legislation, but this legislation is being brought to us today under a rule that will restrict our Members, both Democrats and Republicans, from offering amendments, having them considered. I thought I would give you a little perspective because this bill has come to us this day through the regular order, a very open and fair process. Sixteen hearings took place. All the members of the subcommittee had an opportunity to ask questions and feel like they were being treated fairly, listened to their input. At the subcommittee level, six amendments were offered: four by the minority, two by the majority. They were all adopted unanimously in a bipartisan way. Then we went to the full committee, the full Appropriations Committee. At that point, eight amendments were offered, discussed, and they were adopted as well, in a bipartisan way, four from the Democrats, four from the Republicans. Yet, when we got to the Rules Committee, that's where the fair and open process ran into a roadblock, the graveyard, if you will, because now we come to the floor with no longer a process where Members can stand up, offer amendments, maybe make a good bill even better, because this rule does not allow that.
