William M. ``Mac'' Thornberry: “The Founding Fathers established this Congress so that individuals would be elected from all over the country, come here…”

“The Founding Fathers established this Congress so that individuals would be elected from all over the country, come here with different points of view, discuss those views, yes, but ultimately take a vote on the issues of the day. And then the people who sent them here--the voters--could hold them accountable for the votes they cast here in this Chamber and in the other body across the way. It would be inconceivable to them that this House would deem a bill passed without taking a direct vote up-or-down on the substance of the matter so that the voters back home could hold them accountable, and yet that is exactly the direction that this leadership tries to take the House today. The American people already do not trust this institution. They do not believe that we are in touch with them and listening to them. The intentions of the leadership of this House will only carry those suspicions further and further betray the trust that American people should have in their elected representatives. We should start over and do it again.”