David Obey: “I think this is a time for pity in the House. What is happening to this supplemental reminds me of what my favorite…”

“I think this is a time for pity in the House. What is happening to this supplemental reminds me of what my favorite philosopher, Archie the cockroach, said once. He said, now and then, somebody is born who is so unlucky he runs into accidents that started out to happen to somebody else. That is what is happening to this supplemental. Here we have a disaster supplemental which we have all wanted to get to the President before Memorial Day, so there is no doubt in anybody's mind that we can get the assistance that is needed out in the field, and yet we are being held up by the fact that the other body is still droning on on almost a continuous basis on the budget resolution. The supplemental itself is being bogged down by dragging in a large number of extraneous issues, not the least of which would be the permanent CR dispute plus another large issue about Alaskan roads. There are some other issues as well which are still holding up that supplemental. Mr. Speaker, we have had around here a lot of devices in the past. We have had continuing resolutions. It looks to me like before the week is up we may need a continuing resolution for a continuing resolution, and on this one it looks to me like we are going to have to invent a new device, which is a continuing supplemental. So go the perils of Pauline, I guess. I find this very regrettable. I hope that the House will be able to find some way out of it by the time the day is over.”