[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 32 (Wednesday, March 16, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H1513]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               THE BUDGET

  (Mr. COOPER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, today, the House of Representatives will 
start its annual debate on the budget, one of the most important 
debates of the year.
  I would urge all of my colleagues to vote against the rule setting up 
the terms of this debate. Why vote against the rule? Because the Blue 
Dog Coalition alternative, the amendment which had 12 key procedural 
reforms to get our Nation off its current drunken borrowing and deficit 
binge, none of those wise provisions were included for debate.
  Why? Nine Republicans on the House Committee on Rules voted against 
such common-sense terms as, for example, having a cost estimate on 
every bill or allowing a recorded vote on items that spend more than 
$50 million. I do not know but it is very important that House Members 
vote against the rule so that we can have a fairer debate on our budget 
process and support the reforms in the Blue Dog Coalition.

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