Dreier Decries Democrats Continued Closed Process on Supplemental Spending Bills

May 10, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman David Dreier (R-San Dimas, CA), Rules Committee Ranking Republican, today decried the Democratic Majority’s Rules Committee issuing of another closed rule for consideration of an appropriations bill. Last night, the Democrats issued one closed rule for the latest version of the Iraq war supplemental funding bill. No amendments will be allowed to be offered to the two new funding bills introduced this week, H.R. 2206 and H.R. 2207, or a third bill introduced late last night, H.R. 2237, which calls for the redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq within ninety days. Under GOP control, wartime emergency supplemental funding bills were always considered under an open amendment process, allowing any member to offer a germane amendment on the House floor.

"They’ve done it again," Dreier said. "After promising the most open Congress in history, the Democrats are making history of a different kind. Their decision to shut out all debate on emergency supplemental bills is unprecedented and extremely unfortunate. Given that this is their third attempt at passing this critically important bill, the Majority is clearly in need of a fresh approach. Rather than allowing the House to work its will on this crucial issue, they have instead chosen to shield their cobbled together approach from any scrutiny with another closed rule. While our troops are on the front lines trying to get the job done in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Democrats are wasting time in Washington on bills they know won’t succeed. An open rule may have increased the amount of debate time on this bill, but it also would have given members an opportunity to improve these badly, badly flawed bills."

In addition to offering an amendment in the Rules Committee that H.R. 2206, 2207, and 2237 be considered under open rules, Dreier also offered two other amendments. The first would keep highly sensitive information about the readiness of Iraqi forces off the internet and out of the hands of our enemies and the second would strike language in the bill which only funds our troops through July. All of Dreier’s amendments were defeated by the Democrats on the Rules Committee.