Posted on 10/14/2013 1:11:40 PM PDT by cotton1706
House Democrats are fuming about a rule change adopted by Republicans just before the government shut down on Oct. 1, arguing it shows GOP leaders closed agencies intentionally.
Under long-standing House rules, any member of the chamber can bring a measure to the floor. But Republicans altered the rule governing legislation to fund the government so that only House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) holds the power to make such a motion.
The practical effect of that change became apparent on Saturday, when Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), the ranking member of the House Budget Committee, tried to bring the Senate-passed continuing resolution (CR) to the floor, only to be shot down.
"That motion may be offered only by the majority leader or his designee," said Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), who was presiding over the chamber at the time.
The response didn't sit well with Van Hollen.
"Why are the rules rigged to keep the government shut down?" he asked.
The disagreement over how to reopen the government hinges on the scope of the chambers' spending proposals, with Democrats demanding the Senate's "clean" bill and most Republicans insisting any CR must make changes to ObamaCare.
Under the standing rules of the House, any member can make a "privileged" motion "to dispose of any amendment" when a "stage of disagreement" between the House and Senate "has been reached on a bill or resolution." That privilege, though rarely used, offers a roundabout way for the minority party to force votes on the floor.
But in the last hour of Sept. 30, Republicans on the House Rules Committee altered the rule governing the CR debate so that such a motion "may be offered only by the Majority Leader or his designee."
Explaining the change, Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (R-Texas) made no attempt to disguise the Republicans' motivations. The alteration was made, he said, to prevent Democrats from bringing the Senate's "clean" CR to the floor, just as Republicans were calling for a conference on the competing bills.
"There are rules related to privileged motions that could take place almost effective immediately, and we're trying to go to conference," Sessions said.
"I understand you are, but that doesn't tell me why you changed the regular order so that only Mr. Cantor can do that under the rule," Rep. Louise Slaughter (N.Y.), senior Democrat on the panel, responded.
"There could be a motion as early as tonight [and] a conference would be avoided," Sessions said. "And we want a conference. We want to have an actual discussion."
"Well, I think you've taken that away," Slaughter said of the motion option.
"That's what I'm saying, we took that away," Sessions said.
"Oh mercy, it just gets deeper and deeper," Slaughter said.
The rule passed out of the committee with every Republican voting for it and every Democrat voting against.
Saturday's exchange between Van Hollen and Chaffetz followed a similar arc, with Democrats accusing the GOP of keeping the government closed and Republicans simply invoking their rule change as a way to keep the Senate CR off the House floor.
"The Rules Committee ... changes the standing rules of the House to take away the right of any member to move to vote to open the government and gave that right exclusively to the Republican leader. Is that right?" Van Hollen asked.
"The House adopted that resolution," Chaffetz said.
The bullies crying because their prey fought back?
Classic?
Cantor or someone should get a big gavel and carry it around.
It was done to protect the RINOs from having to vote on the CR.
That’s why they’ve been so well behaved LOL!
I wonder how often such a rule was used in the past. Shame the srticle didn’t inform us on that.
Yeah...just like Stalin dealt with the Kulaks....
(from a FReepers post earlier today....summarized)
First Stalin denied them seed grains for planting....
Next year demanded the grain production
Sent his goons in to confiscate the non existent "grain hoardings"
....and millions died.
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/328431-reid-mcconnell-deal-would-raise-debt-ceiling-to-feb-7
* Please tell me how this is a “deal”, looks like McConnell caved. There is nothing positive in this thing for us..a committee to replace sequestration?? they even removed the medical tax language. What a freakin’ joke!
” What’s good for the Senate is good for the House. “
They’re learning!
If they didn’t have something to b*tch about, they’d b*tch about that.
When that little snarky creep Van Hollen asked why the republicans changed the rules, there were several responses that could have been given.
“Because we can.”
“Remember obamacare? Payback’s a bitch.”
“Shutty!”
Elections have consequences and we won the House so it is our rules. You rats can come along for the ride but you must sit in the back seat!
A movie could be made about exactly how that bill was passed.
Not only do the Commie ‘Rats not read the bills, they do not read the rules. Two year olds throwing temper tantrums when they pooped their own panties.
Von Hollen is Mr. WUSS of the House. Another Maryland marxist who will do anything for power. He has no shame, no ideals, no morals, no patriotism.
In other words, he’s the “perfect” Democrat.
Gee... that’s funny...
I don’t remember the Dimwits screaming and fuming when THEY change the rules at a whim...
Ain’t it a shame...
Cool.. It’s good to see the House doing what Harry Reid is doing in the Senate.
Funny how the rats don’t like their own medicine.
Kudos to the House leadership for getting something right.
The shutdown is what Obama wanted. His executive department ordered it (See OPM).
To ask why he signed the spending legislation shows you need more education in government and political science.
Constitution/Shutdown bookmark.
Another smear — Zero and his fellow Demwits not only caused the shutdown, they’ve been using MORE illegal spending to fund the ILLEGAL banning of citizens from visiting national parks and monuments.
They would complain if you hanged them with a brand new rope!
2:53 Minutes
Louise Slaughter Grills Pete Sessions Over Rule Change ‘Atrocity’ That Rigged Shutdown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEjt7NfNk7c
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