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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: Rachel Bauer |
| January 3, 2007 | (202) 225-2815 |
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WASHINGTON, DC - Chief Deputy Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA), issued the following statement today on the Minority Bill of Rights at a press conference in the Capitol: “In order for the House to adequately reflect the will of the American people, Republican members must be a part of the legislative debate,” Congressman Eric Cantor said. “Speaker-elect Pelosi is already backing out of her commitment to keep the debate open and fair. The pending Minority Bill of Rights legislation will ensure that House Republicans maintain their ground in the American legislative dialogue.” “The American people deserve what it is that they voted for this past November, and that was change in the way business is run in Washington,” concluded Cantor. The bill will establish a common sense framework, and ensure the minority party in the House is allowed to fully participate in legislative deliberations. Among other proposals, the resolution will provide for a fair and bi-partisan Congress by protecting the democratic process of: offering alternative measures; allowing an open and full debate process; and mandating 24 hour-notification of bills and conference reports before a vote takes place. Highlights of the resolution are below: Bills should only come to the Floor after full hearings, open subcommittee and committee markup, and with Members having a full 24 hours to review legislation prior to consideration at the subcommittee level. Bills should normally be considered under a procedure that allows open, full, and fair debate consisting of a full amendment process that grants all members the right to offer amendments or substitutes. Members should be allowed a full 24 hours to examine bills and conference reports before they come to the floor; and rules governing debate must be reported before 10:00 p.m. for a bill to be considered the next day. The Minority Bill of Rights implements the very guidelines that then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi proposed on June, 24, 2004 in a letter to then-Speaker Dennis Hastert. |