Gerald Kleczka: “Let me echo the sentiments of my colleague who has just spoken. If we are going to start the exclusion game, we are…”

“Let me echo the sentiments of my colleague who has just spoken. If we are going to start the exclusion game, we are going to be on this bill longer than the unfunded mandates game. I say to you right now, and I told you earlier in the debate, I support H.R. 2 as drafted. We did amend the bill with the Thurman amendment, which I thought was a step in the right direction. If you adopt this amendment and take one major portion of the budget, 20-some percent of the budget, off the table for the most part, do not let the President get near that and not do the same for education, health care for young and old alike, medical research, I think what we are doing here, Mr. Chairman, we are purporting a sham on the American people. And I would like to tell my colleagues there will be a rollcall on this, so if any of you are going to shout loud and run to the Cloakroom, 'It ain't going to happen.' But note, if you will, the precedent we are setting with this amendment, if adopted, is terrible, terrible, and if you are serious about passing this line, item veto legislation, do not start by putting nonsense like this into the product. I plead with my colleagues not to do so.”