[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 103 (Thursday, June 22, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H6207]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   MEMBERS' RIGHTS MUST BE PRESERVED

  (Mr. OBEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, in response to the previous statement by the 
gentleman who just spoke, let me say the issue is not whether the 
Republican Party held a fundraiser or not. That happens all the time on 
both sides of the aisle.
  The issue, however, is whether it is in the democratic tradition, big 
American democratic tradition, not party, for the majority party to 
shut down this House and cut off an individual Member's right to vote 
so that they can get to a fundraiser in New York on time. The article 
in Mr. Murdoch's paper says the GOP ``went to great lengths to make 
sure its Members got to the Big Apple on time.''
  This is the issue. Not whether you had a fundraiser, but whether you 
were so anxious to go grab the money, that you were willing to 
shortcircuit the democratic process in the doing. That is the issue.

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