[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 7 (Wednesday, February 2, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 2, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                           VOTE DOWN THE RULE

  (Mr. HOKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. HOKE. Mr. Speaker, Congress is back in session, and it is 
business as usual.
  Today we begin where we left off last year. We face another gag rule 
put together by the esteemed Committee on Rules.
  Once again, we witness the blatant rigging of the legislative process 
and the stifling of debate.
  But what is it this time? A bipartisan coalition of Republican and 
Democratic Members wants to offer an amendment to the EPA bill that 
would require a cost-benefit analysis before imposing any new unfunded 
mandates on State and local taxpayers. The United States Senate has 
already passed this measure by a vote of 95 to 3, and public opinion 
polls indicate that 92 percent of the American people are in favor of 
it.
  But what is the Democratic leadership's response? ``No way. The 
amendment is out of order.'' The people's House will not even be 
permitted to vote on it.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to do their constituents a favor. I 
urge them to say ``no'' to one more expensive new bureaucracy, to say 
``no'' to this heavy-handed bullying by the Committee on Rules.
  I urge them to vote ``no'' on this gag rule and allow the people's 
House to work its will.

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