Legislative Program

Floor Speech

LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM -- (House of Representatives - June 07, 2007)

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Mr. DREIER. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I appreciate what the distinguished Republican whip was raising on this whole issue of the pre-printing requirement. I heard the gentleman from Maryland talk about consternation on our side about the so-called pre-printing requirement, and I heard him just say from his perspective he believes that if an amendment is printed in the Record that in no way undermines the right of a Member to offer an amendment. The gentleman is correct, if there is in fact a pre-printing requirement and a Member is entitled to offer that amendment. But the gentleman has just said in his statement that, from his perspective, this does not alter that right.

But I think the distinguished Republican whip was right on target when he pointed to the fact that the legislative process, through a long history which extends not just decades, I would say to my whip, but the 200-year history of this institution, is one that says that an open rule is one that allows any Member through that process to stand up. If an idea comes to that Member that should be addressed, that Member has the right to do that. This new definition of what an open rule is is something that to me is beyond the pale and is undermining the deliberative nature of this institution.

I would say to both of my friends, the majority leader and the distinguished Republican whip, that here we are in a position where we have tried our doggonedness to make sure that we have a more open body. That was the argument that was propounded by the Speaker on December 6, 2006, in her great statement; and we have in fact taken a retrograde step on that by preventing Members from being able to have the chance as the legislative process proceeds to do that.

And the notion that we would, as we begin the very important appropriations process, in any way impinge on the rights of Members to participate in this process is to me absolutely abhorrent.

And I will say also on this issue which the distinguished Republican whip has just raised of earmarks, we in our reform package which we passed last October made sure that every Democrat and every Republican would have a right to stand up and bring to light any earmark that has been included in a bill, and it allows either through that bill and if not through the bill through the rule to do so. We today have had two votes in this House, two votes in this House; and, unfortunately, most Members on the majority side chose to cast votes that prevented us from being able to get back to just the standard that we provided in the 109th Congress for this supposedly new and open 110th Congress.

I would like to say to my friends that I am very troubled with the discussion that I am hearing as the ranking member on the Rules Committee; and as we proceed with consideration of these appropriations bills, I will assure you, Mr. Speaker, I plan to do everything that I possibly can to ensure that we have a complete, open amendment process which, as the distinguished Republican whip has said, with the exception of one and on occasion two appropriations bills has been provided as a right to both Democrats and Republicans.

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