Pete Sessions: “Hearing my colleagues talk about this rule would make me think that they simply do not understand what the Committee on…”

“Hearing my colleagues talk about this rule would make me think that they simply do not understand what the Committee on Rules did. First of all, the Committee on Rules, under Republicans, has always insisted or guaranteed that there will be a motion to recommit to the minority party. As my recollection tells me, that rarely happened when the Democrats were in control. Secondly, the fairness of this rule is very obvious to everyone. We will have a separate vote that will be on the provisions for minimum wage from the vote for the tax package, which means if the gentleman from New York or any of my colleagues wish to vote yes or no on minimum wage, they will be allowed to do that. If they want to vote yes or no on the tax package, they will be allowed to do that. If we were being unfair, we would have put them together. Then we would have heard that would be a poison pill, and I think that that could be said and it would be true. The fact of the matter is that the wisdom of this Committee on Rules is that we are trying to present an opportunity of fairness to fully debate the issue, to allow open votes that will take place; and I am very, very proud of what we have done.”