Jim Sensenbrenner: “The amendment that is offered by the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson) cuts directly against every argument he has…”

“The amendment that is offered by the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson) cuts directly against every argument he has made up to now. What the gentleman's amendment does is delay for another 30 days the right of the people to elect their own replacement Representatives. We either can reconstitute the House quickly or reconstitute the House slowly, and this amendment makes it happen slower. The gentleman also brings up the issue that in Wisconsin we need 62 days. We have primary elections and special elections in Wisconsin. This bill says there should be no primary elections, and that cuts it down to 34 days. So Wisconsin runs a primary election 34 days after the vacancy occurs. We would have no problem replacing me or any of my colleagues from Wisconsin within the 45-day period of time.”