David Obey: “I would simply say that I do not think the point of order should be determined on the basis of a judgment that the…”

“I would simply say that I do not think the point of order should be determined on the basis of a judgment that the Durbin amendment would in fact narrow the scope of what is happening here. In fact, the language in the committee bill would keep us closer to the court decision which was produced some time ago. It makes some exceptions for felons who are not convicted of a violent crime, who were not convicted of firearms violations or drug-related crimes. And it seems to me, therefore, that the Durbin amendment would go further than the language in the bill in overturning existing law. I would simply state that if any Member of this House feels that there are no people in this society who committed a nonviolent crime 20 years ago, who have lived an exemplary life since that time, that they are not entitled to have the slate eventually wiped clean, I think most people would happen to disagree with that.”