[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 120 (Sunday, August 21, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 21, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
  CORRUPT PROCESS IN PRODUCING CRIME BILL PROHIBITS MEMBERS FROM FULL 
                      CONSIDERATION BEFORE VOTING

  (Mr. COX asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COX. Mr. Speaker, under the rules of this House, Members are 
entitled to 24 hours to read a conference report before we vote on it. 
Most of the Members here may not know the majority leader convened the 
House at 1:39 a.m. this morning and went out at 1:47 a.m. this morning, 
when none of us were here, specifically for the purpose of waiving our 
right to read the bill. Any one of us who had been here could have 
objected, because it requires unanimous consent.
  As a result, Mr. Speaker, the only copy of this conference report 
that I will get a chance to see looks like dozens, indeed, scores of 
different documents and pieces of paper all held together in a binder 
clip with lots of Post-it notes, blue ink, red ink, and it is not 
typewritten yet.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a corrupt process. This is a $30 billion bill. 
We should read it before we vote. None of us would sign a rental car 
contract without reading it first, and yet we are going to spend $30 
billion of the taxpayer's money without any opportunity to read it.
  This is a corrupt process. It is antidemocratic. It is insensitive to 
this Member and to the American people.

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