David Obey: “I am sorry to say that this conference report demonstrates that people who too frequently promise regular order should…”

“I am sorry to say that this conference report demonstrates that people who too frequently promise regular order should be regarded in the same way that Blaze Starr regarded men who used the phrase ``trust me.'' The process by which this bill is being brought to the floor is truly amazing. The normal process, the legislative process is for both Houses to pass bills. Then we have a conference between the committees representing both Houses. They produce a document, and then each House has an opportunity to vote on that document. If the Senate has adopted amendments out of the normal scope of the conference, then House Members are protected and authorizing committees are protected by having the ability to have a vote on those amendments on the House floor. Instead, this rule today takes the conference report on this bill, and instead of bringing it back as a conference report, it introduces as a new bill the conference report. It then files a report that refers to that conference report. So to figure out what is in this bill, Members do not have to just go and look at the document accompanying this conference report, they have to go look at a second document.”