Louie Gohmert: “As a closing comment, I have come to know the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay), my friend across the aisle, and hold…”

“As a closing comment, I have come to know the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay), my friend across the aisle, and hold him in very high regard. I appreciate very much his comments earlier about what this compact means to Illinois and to Missouri. I know Mr. Clay has been a leading proponent of this happening, and I really very much appreciate his comments. This will not provide jobs across the country, but it solves a problem. It will ease things for those two States so that jobs should be easier. And I was totally serious when I offered my colleague who was saying that we were wasting our time on this--I know Mr. Clay and many others have spent a great deal of time on this, and I didn't think the Democrats that were pushing this bill so hard were wasting our time. I think it's a very legitimate use of our time. Some people like to confuse the term ``interstate,'' as used in the Constitution; and they want the term ``interstate'' to be expanded, as it has sometimes, to apply to nothing but activity wholly within one State. The Supreme Court has even given some regard to those kinds of arguments, but this is not one of those cases. This is a matter that's been taken up and passed by the Senate, and we should pass it today. It takes up a matter clearly between two States that makes it interstate. And then it is not the State of Illinois or Missouri coming and begging for the Federal Government to take over a State responsibility.…”