Providing for Consideration of H.R. Federal Information Systems Safeguards Act of and Providing for Consideration of Motions to Suspend the Rules

Floor Speech

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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. I thank the gentleman from Colorado. I associate myself with his remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I would say to my colleague from Georgia that the disappointment that you had before the Fourth of July break pales in comparison to the disappointment of the families in the State of Connecticut and of the families all across this Nation who have witnessed firsthand devastation that defies comprehension and definition. It is that palpable feeling and their frustration for people who are sworn to serve the constituents they represent and to be denied even a vote.

As for the bill for which this rule is currently being discussed, I agree with what Mr. Polis had to say, but I would say this: At least you are getting a vote.

Paul Ryan has said--and I have great respect for our Speaker--``we will not duck the tough issues. We will take them head on . . . We should not hide our disagreements. We should embrace them. We have nothing to fear from honest disagreements honestly stated,'' except we don't ever get to state them because there is never a bill that comes before the floor.

John Lewis and I had a candid discussion with the Speaker last night at the Speaker's invitation. The Speaker is an honorable man, and his respect for John Lewis and for John Lewis' explanation in talking about why we are here and why people are gathering outside of this building on a daily basis and throughout the social media, I think, is indicative to what is happening here in our call for a vote.

Later today, on a rule and on a bill that Tim Murphy is putting forth, the Speaker said: Geez, I hope we can all come together on that.

We went back to our caucus and to our people, and they all said: We understand the importance and magnitude of that bill. We understand the work that has gone into it.

We will work and participate even in the midst of strong disagreement and differences because of the respect for the institution and also the work that went into that. We just ask that you respect our concerns, and, more importantly than our concerns, the concerns of hundreds of thousands of constituents all across the country who are asking for one simple thing: the responsibility, and then the dignity that comes from a vote. It doesn't matter where we sit in the final analysis. It matters where Congress stands, and we need to stand up and be counted.

As has been said, the gentleman from Georgia is an eloquent debater. I have great respect for people on the other side of the aisle. It is now long overdue that we have an honest debate, whether we disagree or not, and to honestly state them.

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