[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 140 (Monday, December 20, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2203]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     DIRECTING CLERK OF THE HOUSE TO MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS IN 
                        ENROLLMENT OF H.R. 4818

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                               speech of

                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, December 6, 2004

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. I rise today in support of the measure 
before us today, H. Con. Res. 528. This will come as no surprise to 
anyone since I am fairly certain that this resolution has unanimous 
support from my colleagues, and rightly so. H. Con. Res. 528 corrects a 
provision included in H.R. 4818 that permits members of the 
Appropriations Committee and their staff to examine individuals' 
Federal tax returns. This is clearly a gross invasion of privacy, and I 
am thankful that this provision was brought to light before it was 
signed into law.
  However, Mr. Speaker, the fact that we are considering H. Con. Res. 
528 at all highlights the need for a change in the way this institution 
operates under the current Majority's leadership. Far too frequently in 
recent years, the Majority has brought significant pieces of 
legislation to the floor with little, if any, chance for Members to 
review the measures. We considered the Omnibus Appropriations bill here 
in the House the same day it was completed, which is a perfect example 
of this egregious process. H.R. 4818 included funding for 15 
governmental agencies in the amount of approximately $388 billion 
dollars, and stacked up at over 3,000 pages long. Yet Members and staff 
had less than 24 hours to go through the measure before voting on it.
  Mr. Speaker, each and every time the Majority subverts the democratic 
process and brings legislation to the floor in this fashion, we are 
doing a disservice to the people of this country. It must stop and it 
must stop now. I am hopeful that we will return to ``regular order'' in 
the 109th Congress.

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