| Republicans say Democrats
are trying to change the subject because the Democrats
have "no issues."
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) used the return
of a Washington baseball team to say Republicans were
trying to change the rules.
"Tomorrow, baseball returns to Washington, DC
for the first time in 34 years," Reid said. "And
when the Washington Nationals take the field at RFK
Stadium, they will play by the same basic rules the
Washington Senators did during their final game in 1971."
"Over the years, the basic rules in baseball have
stayed the same, and even the sport's youngest fans
know that you can't change the rules just to get your
way," he added. "Unfortunately, Washington
Republicans don't seem to understand this fundamental
principle."
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) called the
Republican majority "radical" and "right
wing."
"Ten years ago, the Republicans, in their Contract
with America, claimed that they had to restore the trust
between the American people and their representatives
in government," Pelosi said. "Here we are
today with the radical right-wing Republican majority
that is destroying that trust, and doesn't want to play
by the rules.
"In fact, this Republican majority wants to be
above the law," she added.
House Republicans say Democrats are trying to change
the subject from legislation in Congress.
“Democrats are trying to switch the subject because
they are preventing the passage of an energy bill that
will eventually lower the cost of gas prices,”
Ron Bonjean, spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert
(R-Ill.), told the Washington newspaper The Hill
Wednesday. “They are playing politics and
have no agenda, while Republicans are working for results.”
“What Americans will see is Republicans rolling
up their sleeves and working while the Democrats are
grousing and complaining,” one GOP leadership
aide added, in remarks made to The Hill. “While
the Washington, D.C., press is concerned with House
Majority Leader Tom DeLay, the American people are concerned
with the price at the pump.”
Remarks from Reid, Pelosi and House Democratic Whip
Steny Hoyer (D-MD) follow.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), who was also at the press
conference, did not have comments immediately available.
Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) also made a speech to the
House on ethics earlier today.
###
REMARKS BY SENATE MINORITY LEADER HARRY REID (D-NV)
Tomorrow, baseball returns to Washington, DC for
the first time in 34 years. And when the Washington
Nationals take the field at RFK Stadium, they will
play by the same basic rules the Washington Senators
did during their final game in 1971.
3 strikes and your [sic] out. 4 balls and you walk.
3 outs in an inning. 9 innings in a game.
Over the years, the basic rules in baseball have
stayed the same, and even the sport's youngest fans
know that you can't change the rules just to get your
way. Unfortunately, Washington Republicans don't seem
to understand this fundamental principle.
In recent weeks, we've seen many examples of Republicans
abusing their power and trying to change the rules.
First, after the Schiavo case, we had leaders in
the House and some in the Senate questioning the independence
of the Courts. Republicans and their allies said that
judges should be punished or impeached for putting
the law ahead of partisan ideology. Some even quoted
Stalin in calling for the removal of judges…"No
man, no problem."
Then, in the House of Representatives, we've had
a Republican leader admonished by the ethics committee
three times. And what was his reaction? He changed
the rules to protect himself.
Now Republicans are trying to bring this approach
to the Senate. We have Republicans trying to change
the rules, silence debate and ram through their radical
judges to lifetime appointments on the bench.
What we are seeing is the arrogance and abuse of
power. If Republicans don't like the rules, they change
them. If someone is standing in their way, they attack
them. If they disagree with a judge's ruling, they
threaten them.
Democrats in Washington are the last remaining check
on President Bush's power. If they can silence us,
they can turn the Senate into a rubber stamp for the
president. Not just on judges. But on Supreme Court
nominees. And legislation like Social Security too.
I hope responsible Republicans in this country and
in the Senate will tell their leaders to stop the
abuse of power. Let's quit trying to change the rules,
and get back to the work of the American people. They
didn't send us here to misuse or abuse our power,
they sent us here to get things done.
Let's focus on the people's business, not partisan
business.
We can take on the health care crisis in America.
We can take steps towards energy independence, so
families don't go broke at the gas pump. We can help
middle-class families make ends meet. We can even
work together to put good judges on the bench who
will protect our rights.
There is so much work we can do, and we don't have
to change or debate the rules to do any of it.
I hope Republicans will put aside their attempt to
grab more power, and join Democrats in the real work
before us.
REMARKS BY HOUSE MINORITY LEADER NANCY PELOSI (D-CA)
"Ten years ago, the Republicans, in their Contract
with America, claimed that they had to restore the
trust between the American people and their representatives
in government. Here we are today with the radical
right-wing Republican majority that is destroying
that trust, and doesn't want to play by the rules.
In fact, this Republican majority wants to be above
the law.
"They want to be above the law when it comes
to respecting minority rights, which are part of the
law of our land, and witness what they are doing now
in the Senate to try to stifle debate by eliminating
the right of the filibuster.
"This happens on a regular basis in the House
of Representatives. It is well documented by our Rules
Committee Ranking Member, Congresswoman Louise Slaughter,
and I refer you to her document on how Democrats have
not been allowed to bring resolutions, amendments,
and substitutes to the floor, where the marketplace
of ideas that our Founding Fathers intended is greatly
muzzled by the Republicans who think they are above
the law of the land.
"We also have a situation where they do not
want to uphold an ethical standard and that has a
direct impact on the lives of the American people.
Look at the impact of the energy lobbyists writing
the energy bill. The lack of an energy policy is producing
higher prices at the pump. Mr. Dingell, Ranking Member
of the Energy and Commerce Committee, has a report
that shows that the energy bill that the energy lobbyists
want to write, which comes before us next week, makes
prices higher at the pump; 70 percent of the American
people have already said that the price at the pump
is having an impact in their lives.
"Another example of where the low ethical standard
impacts the lives of the American people is the Medicare
prescription drug bill. This is a bill where the pharmaceutical
industry insisted that there be a prohibition on the
federal government negotiating for lower prices in
the prescription drug bill, and it's in the bill.
And now we see the wholesale prices of pharmaceutical
drugs are rising at twice the rate of inflation. This
has a tremendous impact on the budget of America's
seniors, indeed anyone who depends on prescription
drugs.
"Republicans are engaged in an abuse of power,
and the American people are paying the price at the
pump, and they are paying the price at the pharmacy.
Don't take it from me. These are issues that the Ethics
Committee has already spoken to in regard to the unethical
performance of Republican Leader Tom DeLay in the
House of Representatives.
"So what do the Republicans do? They gut the
ethics process, they purge the Ethics Committee, casting
aside the Chairman and two Members who they thought
were not operating at their direction. They then gut
the rules so that the Committee is effectively nonexistent
and they want to make other changes that would further
diminish the ethical standards in the House.
"In addition to this, the Majority Leader in
the House is presenting thinly veiled threats against
the federal judiciary. He may not care about the system
of checks and balances, but the American people do.
"So we have an issue here that is as fundamental
as our Constitution. It's about respecting the freedom
of speech, minority rights, and not operating above
the law as Republicans are.
"I agree with Leader Reid. We have to get this
behind us so that we can move on with creating new
jobs, expanding access to health care, broadening
opportunities for education for all of our children,
protecting our environment, having a strong national
defense, and having accountability for all that we
do, in our budget and in our ethical standards.
"Only then will be honoring the oath of office
that all of us take to protect and defend the Constitution."
REMARKS BY HOUSE DEMOCRATIC WHIP STENY HOYER (D-MD)
"Republicans run the most closed and bitterly
partisan House in the history of our country, by enforcing
closed rules that stifle debate, having sham conference
committees that are irrelevant and holding votes open
to achieve pre-ordained results.
"When arrogant partisanship is the name of the
game, the American people lose and the special interests
win.
"Nowhere is this more evident than in the complete
and total breakdown of the ethics process in the House.
While allegations of unethical behavior swirl, there
is no process in the House to determine right from
wrong, and truth from lies.
"And for the first time in history, Republicans
forced through partisan rule changes in the House
Ethics Committee. The former Republican Ethics Committee
Chairman, Joel Hefley, who was purged by Republican
leaders for doing his job, and the ranking Democrat,
Alan Mollohan, wrote in the Washington Post today:
"There should be no misunderstanding of what
is at stake here, for members and for the House as
an institution. In the days and weeks to come, all
members will need to decide whether they wish to continue
to have a credible, effective ethics process, and
to then consider the actions and conditions necessary
for such a process to exist."
"Democrats have made it clear where we stand.
It is now up to Republicans to decide what kind of
House they will run.
"If Republicans do not make the right choice,
the American people, in all of their wisdom, will
surely refuse to allow the people's House to be run
by out-of-control autocrats willing to abuse their
power."
REMARKS BY RANKING DEMOCRAT ON HOUSE RULES
COMMITTEE LOUISE SLAUGHTER, MADE ON THE FLOOR OF THE
HOUSE
“Madam Speaker,
A dark cloud of corruption hangs over this House
of Representatives
And with no Ethics Committee or reasonable ethical
standards to speak of…there is no hope that
the dark cloud will recede, and the daylight will
be let in.
By systematically dismantling the House Ethics process,
the Majority has denied this House the right to investigate
its own members and thus betrayed our core American
values.
Honesty…integrity…accountability…
Values which should be the hallmark of this government
- have instead been thrown under the bus by an arrogant
Majority... Casualties in a misguided campaign to
shield from accountability those who abuse this House.
This House cannot function without an open, accountable,
and independent ethics process... And the molestation
of that process by the Majority is an abuse of power
that cannot stand.
It is for these reasons I have repeatedly asked The
Chairman of the Rules Committee to hold a bi-partisan
ethics hearing... As guardians of the Democratic process
- our Committee has a unique responsibility to protect
the integrity of this hallowed institution.
What are we waiting for?
The dark cloud must be lifted, the air must be cleansed
and the ethics rules of this House must be fully restored...
The very credibility of this government, and its ability
to lead the American people, hangs in the balance.”
Article originally published Apr. 13, 2005. |
