On the recordApril 28, 2017
Also I want to recognize the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) for another birthday today. The gentleman from Oklahoma was very silent last night at the Rules Committee. He didn't let us know, so we didn't say anything. But today is his birthday, and I congratulate him for that. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I have a number of the day for my colleagues. I feel like I am on Sesame Street. This is the 29th closed rule this year. This is the 29th CR of this Republican majority. And the government is about to shut down when the calendar flips after midnight, and it is the 29th. So 29 must be the number of the day. I want to wish the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) a happy birthday. Maybe he is 29, so it all kind of fits together. I would just say to my colleagues, as an indication of how dysfunctional this place is: How do you get 29 closed rules in 4 months? How do we run a place in such a closed manner? This is supposed to be a deliberative body. We are supposed to be debating issues. People are supposed to have a give-and-take on matters of importance. We have had 29 closed rules in the first 4 months of this year. It is unprecedented. As I have been saying time and time again, when you have a lousy process, you usually end up with lousy legislation. I think that is the case with regard to the repeal and replace of the Affordable Care Act.…
