On the recordFebruary 10, 2011
We are not the judiciary. We are the people's voice. We are the United States Congress. The issue of whether a court has ruled any of this unconstitutional is the prerogative of that court, but we have the prerogative to address the issues dealing with the people's voice. And so I am disturbed that this comes to the floor, first, as a suspension, which was defeated by the people's voice, and then now through some unique trickery to come with a closed rule so that the people's voice is shut down. This Constitution deserves more. The Founding Fathers were wise enough to establish three branches of government. This House is called the people's House and, therefore, we have the right to have a voice. That voice was already expressed by Members on both sides of the aisles, Republicans and Democrats, who voted this down because of the lack of opportunity to engage on behalf of the people.
