Rosa DeLauro

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. I would be happy to cooperate with my colleague. I also believe it is one thing for me to hold anyone accountable, but we are all accountable to the American public. That is what is at issue. That is what happens on the floor of this House. It is the people who send us here who hold us accountable for our openness, our sincerity, or compassion, our actions, for the opportunity to do the things that they send us here to do on their behalf and to raise their standard of living, to separate out the special interests in this body. Ultimately, they will be the deciders. But I am happy to accept the gentleman's challenge.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to echo the sentiments of my colleague. That is many respects is what I think was hoped for in terms of change, particularly by the American public, and as far as the rules are concerned, I truly believe in the gentleman's objection, because again, he talks on this floor about open rules all the time. And yet for the first day, for this opportunity to come up and to pass this bill, I would just say that it was business as usual, so that we do not have the opportunity. I worked personally very, very hard on the accountability legislation in the last session. My colleague, Dick Swett, did also, and I complimented my colleague, the gentleman from Connecticut, Mr. Chris Shays. I think that bill was long overdue. But there was not an opportunity for the minority to have a debate and a discussion about it. If we are to change this body, then in fact you are now in charge. The Republicans have the majority, so that with bills getting lost, the calendar becomes your calendar in terms of scheduling. If it is your side that has to say that for the sake of reform and openness and what we have talked about in this bill, then we have to have delay. Let the process be opened up so we can have a debate about a variety of issues. That is the point I am trying to make, that we cannot portray change when in fact we are looking at business as usual. And I think we need to be very mindful and very careful about that as we go down the next several months.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to echo my comments.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield 1 minute to the gentlemen from Mississippi [Mr. Parker]. (Mr. PARKER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Sabo]. (Mr. SABO asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Harman]. (Ms. HARMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield 2 minutes to my colleague, the gentlewoman from Connecticut [Mrs. Kennelly]. (Mrs. KENNELLY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1, the Congressional Accountability Act and to commend my friend and colleague from Connecticut [Chris Shays] for his determination to see this important legislation come to pass. I also want to pay tribute to former Democratic Congressman Dick Swett of New Hampshire who worked tirelessly in the last Congress on behalf of this common sense legislation. I might add that it was a Democratic Congress which acted to advance this legislation, only to see it blocked by Republicans in the other body. The Congressional Accountability Act simply requires that Congress abide by all the laws it passes. It's a proposal that is long overdue and one that will move Government closer to the people. Politicians have set an unequal standard that put them above the people. That was wrong. And, it helps to account for the growing disaffection in the country. By passing this legislation, the people are one step closer to reclaiming this body, which has historically been the people's House. Let's pass the Congressional Accountability Act.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to voice my opposition to the closed rule on the Republican rules package. This package contains many important reforms that I support, but it does not contain the most crucial reform, a ban on gifts from lobbyists. The gift ban is central to our ability to break the bond between the special interests and the Congress. That is what the public clamored for, separate special interests from the institution of the Congress. The Democratic proposal would ban all gifts to Members of Congress. It bans meals, entertainment, and travel. It says no more business as usual. On this first day of the 104th Congress when so many hopes are pinned on people reclaiming their Government, it is tie to end the special interests' influence over Congress. It is time to say no. No to dinners, no to golf junkets, no to the old style perks and privileges. The only privilege we need is the privilege to serve in this body. The new Republican majority claims that they are leading a revolution to reform this institution. That is what they told the American public. But keeping closed rules, protecting perks and privileges is just more hypocrisy. Support real change. Open the rule and support a gift ban.