OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008

Date: May 15, 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Government Budget and Spending


SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (House of Representatives - May 15, 2008)

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Mr. WALSH of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from California for yielding me this time.

I have the greatest respect for the gentleman from Wisconsin. He is a good Member of this body. He is my chairman on the full committee. He is the chairman of my subcommittee, and on that subcommittee we work very well together to address the key issues of our country.

However, Mr. Speaker, the bill before the House today is a phony bill for many reasons. The rules have been thrown under the bus. No markup, no conference with the Senate. First and foremost, this product is the product of a couple of people in a body of 435. It does not reflect the best ideas of bipartisan membership of the Appropriations Committee. And when it leaves this Chamber, it will not reflect the best ideas of the 435 Members of this House.

While I often disagree with the chairman of the Appropriations Committee in the Senate, Senator Byrd, at least he stood up for his committee and for the regular order and for the prerogatives of the Appropriations Committee in the Senate.

I have heard over the last several days the assertion that Members of the minority were offered an opportunity to participate. I must have missed it; I don't remember any consultation.

Mr. Speaker, I am embarrassed that the committee on which I am so revered and on which I have been so proud to serve for so many years has been reduced to this phony exercise.

The reality is that the majority knows that this bill is going to be vetoed. Staff representing the Democratic leadership were quoted yesterday in the press as saying: ``Oh, yeah, it will be vetoed. That's the whole part I forgot.''

Quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, there is a time and place for fun, but not here and not now. The Democratic leadership, by virtue of that flippant remark to the press, a remark made quite clearly without regard to the needs of the men and women who risk their lives every day in service to this great Nation seems to me to recognize that they are playing politics with our troops.

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