[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 22901]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              MARTIAL LAW

  (Mr. BURGESS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I also come to the floor today to talk 
about this $700 billion bill that's in front of us. I use the term 
``bill'' advisedly because we have seen no bill. We are here, debating 
talking points on, perhaps, what is the largest fundamental change in 
our Nation's financial system in its history.
  House Republicans have been cut out of the process. Not only have we 
been cut out of the process, but we've also been derided by the 
leadership of the Democratic Party, and have been called unpatriotic 
for not participating.
  Mr. Speaker, I have been thrown out of more meetings in this Capitol 
in the last 24 hours than I ever thought possible as a duly elected 
Representative of 820,000 citizens of North Texas.
  Politics is a full-contact sport, and I understand that, but it is a 
full-contact sport in the light of day, in the public arena. Since we 
didn't have hearings, since we didn't have markups, let's at least put 
this legislation up on the Internet for 24 hours. That's what Thomas 
was made for. Let's do that, and let the American people see what we 
have done in the dark of night. After all, I have not gotten any more 
mail, any more e-mails on any other subject than this one that is 
before us today.
  Mr. Speaker, I understand we're under martial law as declared by the 
Speaker last night. I think it's ironic that House Republicans have not 
been needed for a single thing in this House to ensure passage for the 
last 22 months and that, today, we're going to be asked to vote for a 
bill for political cover because Democrats are too weak to stand up to 
their Speaker.

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