[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18979]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   EXPLAINING VOTE AGAINST H.R. 1830

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRAD SHERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 12, 2007

  Mr. SHERMAN. Madam Speaker, I wish to clarify for the record my vote 
on June 27th in opposition to H.R. 1830, which extends the Andean Trade 
Preference Act until February 29, 2008.
  When an issue is complex and worthy of substantial analysis, and a 
bill is presented to us in a format which short-circuits that 
analytical process and legislative debate, it is my policy to resolve 
any possible doubt in the direction of a ``No'' vote. Bringing up this 
bill as a suspension was inappropriate. Furthermore, the Ways and Means 
Committee marked up H.R. 1830 on the same day that the House considered 
the bill. Under such circumstances, members of the House had virtually 
no time to review the bill and I felt obliged to vote no.
  Had the bill been reported under a rule that allowed perfecting 
amendments to be considered, I might have reached a different 
conclusion.

                          ____________________