Joe Barton: “I appreciate that gentleman's comment. But my response to the distinguished chairman of the full Appropriations…”

“I appreciate that gentleman's comment. But my response to the distinguished chairman of the full Appropriations Committee is, you've got to pick up your buckets where you stand. And this is our only forum. I'm told that the Rules Committee is going to meet at midnight or 1 a.m. this morning to consider a same-day rule for SCHIP. Now, keep in mind, last Tuesday night at 11:36 p.m., after the House is through with its last vote of the day, we get a 465-page SCHIP bill that hasn't had any hearings on it, that hasn't had any witnesses on, that hasn't had a draft circulated. And now the Rules Committee is going to meet at midnight allegedly, or 1 o'clock this morning, to consider a same-day rule to consider that bill tomorrow. So I respect Mr. Obey and I respect Subcommittee Chairman DeLauro for doing the process the right way. But our only recourse, unfortunately, under the rules is to come out on this floor under the open rule to strike the requisite number of words to speak on the ag appropriation bill and then talk about the travesty that may be hoisted on the American public tomorrow in which a $227 billion cut in Medicare over the next 10 years is going to be voted on, with not one witness testifying in favor or opposition, not one draft that's been circulated, not any process at all. So I support the McHenry amendment, and I also support an open process on the largest health care issue that's going to be before this Congress this year.”