David Obey: “I would simply like to take this time to correct the impression left by the previous speaker, the gentleman from New…”

“I would simply like to take this time to correct the impression left by the previous speaker, the gentleman from New York, about what happened on the House floor tonight. The fact is, the votes on suspensions which occurred tonight, to which the gentleman from New York objected, occurred at the insistence of the majority party, not at our insistence. In fact, we suggested five different propositions which would have enabled the Republican leadership of this House to close debate on measures in an orderly manner and at a reasonable hour tonight, and all five of those suggestions were rejected by the majority party leadership. We, in fact, specifically asked and our party leadership specifically asked that the majority party consider not having the votes on suspension until tomorrow, and that was also turned down by the majority party leadership. So lest the gentleman from New York be under the impression that this protracted session tonight occurred at the wish of the minority party in the House, that is specifically not the case. My staff tried. The staff of the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Gephardt] tried. The staff of the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Bonior] tried suggestions which would have avoided this meaningless extension of debate tonight. All of them were turned down by the majority party leadership. I regret the chaos which has afflicted the House on the latter part of this day.”