On the recordDecember 8, 2016
I thank the chairman for the time. Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank the chairman for the job he has done over the last 6 years of leading this committee. It is a difficult job. We have to make tough choices, and this committee has been willing to do this. I appreciate the leadership that the chairman and Ranking Member Lowey have provided for this committee and for the direction in which we have been able to go. Let me say also, Mr. Speaker, that I don't really like what we are doing here. I don't think anybody on the Appropriations Committee likes what we are doing here. We all know it is necessary because we don't want the government to shut down, but it is amazing to listen to the number of people who come on the floor. I know all of the Appropriations Committee members want to get back to regular order and do individual bills, conference them, and then do individual conference reports of all of the bills. That is what should be done. That is called regular order. The last time that was done was in 1994; 22 years ago. Under Republican and Democrat leadership, we have not been able to do it in the last 22 years, and it is time we do. It is amazing the number of people who come to the floor and who aren't on the Appropriations Committee who say, Man, we need to get back to regular order. We all agree with that. So how do we do it? I will tell you how we do it. It takes a commitment.…
