Bring Back Intergrity to the House of Representatives

BRING BACK INTEGRITY TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES -- (House of Representatives - April 13, 2005)

(Mr. McGOVERN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss the Republican majority's ongoing disregard for the democratic process in the United States House of Representatives.

In the last Congress, the arrogance of power coming from the other side of the aisle was breathtaking. This Congress, it is only getting worse.

The majority has consistently used closed and highly-restrictive rules to stop Members of both parties from offering amendments to important legislation. They have rushed major bills to the floor without even giving Members a chance to read them. They have given special interests and their lobbyists unprecedented access and influence. Votes were kept open for hours in an attempt to threaten Members into voting a certain way, and they have completely gutted the ethics process here in the House.

This blatant disregard for democracy shows disrespect, not just for Members of Congress but, more importantly, for the people we all represent; and it has to stop. We can start by reestablishing a real bipartisan Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and restoring the meaningful ethics rules that the Republican leadership threw away in January.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to bring back the integrity of this House.

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