[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 72 (Wednesday, May 14, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H4022]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             CONGRATULATING THE 53 TEXAS STATE LEGISLATORS

  (Ms. DeGETTE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, as a Member of Congress from a State where 
last week the legislature, controlled by the Republican Party, 
suspended every rule in the legislature, suspended the Colorado 
Constitution and without any public hearing whatsoever completely 
changed the congressional boundaries in Colorado, I think there are no 
more courageous people in this country right now than the 53 Texas 
State legislators who went to Ardmore, Oklahoma, and if there is 
anybody in this body who thinks that it is a fair process that they are 
contemplating in Texas, they should just look at what happened in 
Colorado last year.
  After the last census in Colorado, the legislature was unable to come 
up with congressional lines, so the court drew the lines. The election 
was held. The election was fair, and there were seven representatives 
elected in Colorado. Now, with no warning in the last 3 days of the 
congressional session, the Colorado Legislature completely changed the 
lines. There were no public hearings. There was an hour of testimony 
taken. All of the rules were suspended, including the rule in the State 
senate for recorded votes so people would know how their senators 
voted.
  If anybody thinks the Texas Legislature led by the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. DeLay) was thinking fairly, they are wrong.

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