[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 127 (Friday, August 3, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H9662]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      MOTION TO RECOMMIT AGREED TO

  (Mr. BLUNT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, let me say when we left here last night, I 
have left the House frustrated, I have left the House encouraged, I 
have left the House proud, I have left the House not so proud. I have 
never the House ashamed before.
  Now what I just heard here this morning, I don't agree with it, the 
idea that somehow we have massively violated the traditions of the 
House and the only penalty is we will be more careful in the future.
  I decided for 4 years when that vote would quit as the whip. That was 
my job. We never stopped the vote until the Clerk handed the person the 
piece of paper that said what the vote was, and the vote on the piece 
of paper was 215-213.
  The remedy for the House that would solve this problem is to let the 
vote stand. A majority of this House voted that illegal immigrants 
would not receive these benefits. That is what the vote was about. All 
you've got to do is go back to committee, amend the bill and come back 
to the floor.
  You lost the vote. I didn't hit the gavel. I didn't speak over the 
Clerk who was trying to read the vote. The Chair did. The Chair decided 
the vote was over. It doesn't matter what that board says. What matters 
is what the tally was.
  A week of violations of the principles of the House culminated last 
night in such an excessive way that Republicans walked off the floor, 
and it was a deserved walkout. And I am ashamed of the House.

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